Pride of our poppy sellers

Winners, from left, Able Cadet Chloe Lane, Oldham Sea Cadets; Sgt Kathryn Nightingale, 317 (Failsworth) Squadron, and Cadet Nathan Law, from Belle Vue Army Cadet Force, who raised the highest individual totals

CARING cadets from Oldham proved fundraising champs after helping to raise nearly £157,000 for the Lord Lieutenant’s Poppy Appeal.

Young Sea, Army and Air Cadets across Greater Manchester raised more than any other cadet group in the country.

Oldham youngsters were the cream of the crop, gaining high praise from the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Col Smith along with fellow fundraisers at a prestigious ceremony at University Barracks, Manchester.

Col Smith said: “Just to pull in a few hundred pounds on your own is hard, when people are talking about individuals raising thousands it is amazing.

“Every penny collected counts and you have done a fantastic job.”

The 317 (Failsworth) Squadron raised more than any of the Air Cadets’ 60 units regionally, a total of £12,045.13p.

And two members, Sgt Kathryn Nightingale and Cadet Harvey Jones, took the top two individual winner spots after raising £3,898.49 and £1,333.20 respectively.

Flt Lt Sam Young paid tribute to her cadets and said: “We have nearly 50 cadets and they were out in force fund-raising for the Poppy Appeal. I am very proud of them.”

The Oldham Sea Cadet Corps were deemed their group winners after raising £7,432.17, with a trio of its members crowned top three individual winners for their fundraising efforts.

Able Cadet Chloe Lane came first with £2,660.62p, her sister Leading Cadet Jenny was second with £1,291.83p, while Junior Cadet Marcus Renshaw took third place with £823.61p. Jenny (19) said: “We completed more than 24-hours of collecting between us. We are normally the first people shoppers see selling poppies and we always receive a good reaction.”

Greater Manchester vice-president of the Royal British Legion Wing Commander David Forbes said: ““The money raised by our young cadets helps our service personnel and their dependants in their time of need, the efforts of the cadets are very much appreciated.”

The Greater Manchester Poppy Appeal raised nearly £157,000 in 2011, almost 18 per cent more than 2010. Nationally, £36million has already been raised.