A NINE-year-old boy from Rhyl has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal in the town, since its 2023 launch on October 26.

Louis Jaycock has been spending lots of time collecting with his mum, Tracey, at Rhyl’s Morrisons supermarket.

He has also inspired an incredible array of poppy-themed pictures to be drawn by fellow students at his school, Ysgol Dewi Sant.

Rhyl Journal: Louis inspired an array of poppy-themed pictures to be drawn by fellow students at his school, Ysgol Dewi Sant.Louis inspired an array of poppy-themed pictures to be drawn by fellow students at his school, Ysgol Dewi Sant. (Image: Poppy Appeal)

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Students from the Year Two class at Ysgol Christchurch also shared some images to add to the display, too.

Louis said: “It’s been really good collecting for the Poppy Appeal so far. So many people have come out and we’ve had lots of really nice chats with people!”

For Louis, the Poppy Appeal holds real emotional significance because his dad, Paul, served for seven years in the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

While on a tour of Iraq, Paul and three fellow soldiers were hit by a suicide bomb.

With his three friends suffering from devastating injuries, Paul continued to go back to the site of the blast to help them all – an act of bravery which saw him mentioned in dispatches.

Louis loves to show his support for the Poppy Appeal as a display of his love and appreciation for all his dad has been through.

He added: “The Poppy Appeal is really important to me because it’s a chance to talk about people like my dad who have done so much for our country.”

The money raised from the Poppy Appeal can make a vital difference to people in the Armed Forces community.

The Royal British Legion can provide support in many ways from befriending services for those who are isolated, help with finances and housing, or recovery programmes after injury and illness.

This year’s appeal also sees the new plastic-free poppy become available - the first redesign of the symbol of remembrance in a generation, and the latest in a series of designs since the poppy was first used to raise funds in 1921.