IN a north Oxfordshire village, residents have been admiring the Oxfordshire Poppy Appeal's youngest recruit.

Beatrice Armstrong is only 12 weeks old but her presence works wonders when it comes to villagers in Kirtlington making generous donations to the Royal British Legion's appeal.

This year fundraisers in the county have set a £575,000 record target and are hoping donations made in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday will help it to be achieved.

Twelve-week-old Beatrice Armstrong may well be the county's most youthful Poppy Appeal seller.

Her parents Verity, 32, and Matthew, 36, who are collecting for the appeal, make sure they take their daughter with them every time they tour the village with their poppy tray.

Mrs Armstrong said people had been 'running after the pram' to put some money in the collecting tin.

The Armstrongs, who work as Oxford University fundraisers, have been selling poppies for the past seven years as they have friends in the Armed Forces.

Mrs Armstrong added: "I have always thought it was very important to remember the sacrifices during the two world wars and the conflicts since to ensure the freedom of future generations."

Beatrice's pram has been suitably adorned with poppies and has caught the eye of many people. "Villagers in their cars bought poppies and one person even ran after us to donate.

"The village has a strong community spirit and a large turnout for Remembrance Sunday each year."

People living in Kirtlington know more than most why it is so important to support the Poppy Appeal.

The President of the Kirtlington branch of the RBL is Major John Thorneloe, the father of the late Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe who was killed in action in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2009.

Lt Col Thorneloe, 39, was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Welsh Guards and was killed by an explosion near Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province, in July 2009.

He was the most senior officer to have died in conflict since Lt Col ‘H’ Jones died in the Falklands in 1982.

Chairman of the Kirtlington Branch Brian Waterhouse said: "We are delighted to be seeing a resurgence of support from villagers, and in particular from younger members of the community."

An army of collectors – young and old – are now out and about across the county collecting for the appeal.

The Poppy Appeal launch for the county took place at Vauxhall Barracks in Didcot, the home of bomb disposal experts 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment.

Six soldiers from the regiment lost their lives in Afghanistan and their comrades paid tribute to them at the launch.

As money pours in for the Poppy Appeal preparations are being made for Remembrance services in Oxford and in towns and villages around the county.

The war memorial in St Giles is always a focal point for Remembrance Sunday and this year will be no different.

The service will take place at the war memorial in St Giles, between 10.30am and 12.15pm on Sunday and will be led by the Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, and the City Rector, the Very Rev Robert Wilkes, with Oxford's Lord Mayor Mohammed Altaf-Kan, and multi-faith leaders from across the city in attendance.

Representatives from Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University, Oxfordshire County Council, the High Sheriff, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Fire Service, the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and Oxford’s twin cities will also attend.

After the service, a city council procession will return to St John’s College, for the Lord Lieutenant, Tim Stevenson OBE, to take the salute as the military and Royal British Legion march past.

Banbury Road, Beaumont Road, Keble Road, Magdalen Street East and West, and St Giles will be closed from 12.01am to 2pm on Sunday 13 November.

There will also be a service on Armistice Day on Friday from 10.45am at Oxford Town Hall.

The service will be led by Oxford's Lord Mayor and all are welcome to attend. There will be a minute’s silence at 11am.

Mr Altaf-Khan said: "Remembrance events give an opportunity for the whole community to remember and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom.

"I would like to invite the people of Oxford to join me on Friday and Sunday and, united, to pay our respects."

With the centenary of the Battle of the Somme being commemorated this year, there will be a Turning the Pages ceremony on Friday at 10.30am at Christ Church Cathedral in St Aldate's when the names of the fallen from the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars and the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry are read out.

To get involved in fundraising email mgarwood@britishlegion.org.uk

PANEL THREE

NORMANDY veteran Bill Adams, 92, from Bicester, is among those wearing his poppy with pride.

As a 19-year-old private on D-Day, Bill Adams served with the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

He has been awarded a medal for his bravery – the Legion d’Honneur medal, the highest decoration in France.

Mr Adams said: "I am wearing my poppy with pride and lots of veterans like me are doing the same. I would urge everyone to go out there and buy a poppy to support the appeal.

"I'm in a wheelchair now because of my health and can't sell poppies like I used to but I will be there at St Edburg's Church on Sunday to lay a wreath of behalf of Normandy veterans."

Brian Leach, 48, a father-of-five from Bicester, was serving with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps when he was injured in Iraq in 2004.

He was at the launch of Oxfordshire's Poppy Appeal fundraising campaign at Vauxhall Barracks in Didcot, and told how proceeds from the appeal had provided vital support for him and his family.

He is reluctant to speak about the incident which left him with serious injuries but said the support the RBL gave him was "invaluable."

Brian Hathaway is another Oxfordshire veteran who has benefited from the Poppy Appeal.

The father-of-three, who lives with wife Sylvia in Appleton, near Abingdon, was completing National Service in 1959 when he fell 15ft from a rope during a physical training session.

The accident damaged his elbow and wrist and left him with only the partial use of his left arm.

When his oil-fired central heating boiler broke down it was replaced, thanks to a £1,000 donation from the RBL.

Mr Hathaway said: "The Poppy Appeal is vital for veterans.

"Thanks to the RBL our heating system is still going strong – if we see someone in the village collecting we always make a donation."