Poppy collections banned in Brum

Birmingham City Council sparked outrage by banning Poppy Appeal collections in the City Centre on 11 November.

The council’s rules forbid more than one charity to collect in the streets of the second city on one day, and the council had instead granted a licence to homeless charity Shelter, who had applied before the Royal British Legion.

It meant that the charity, which was presented with Freedom of the City last October, would have had to forgo collections in High Street and New Street, potentially costing the charity hundreds of pounds of much-needed funds.

The Royal British Legion were also banned from collecting anywhere in Birmingham City Centre on the 12 November – the day before Remembrance Sunday – because a licence had been given to an Anthony Nolan supporters group.

Bert Landry, an 84 year-old former poppy seller, told the Daily Telegraph “it’s an insult to our war heroes. Without them those fat-cat councillors would not be sitting in their council chambers on their extortionate salaries.”

Anthony Nolan released a statement on their website today, confirming that an “Anthony Nolan supporter group had applied to fundraise in Birmingham” and that “the application was originally for early December, but the group were allocated 12 November as an alternative date by the City Council.

“The group were not aware that other charities would have been prevented from fundraising at the same time.

“We have withdrawn the license to fundraise in Birmingham on 12 November and have asked that Birmingham City Council now allocate this date to the Royal British Legion.”

Additionally, Oxfam said that it would be waiving its right to collect in the city on 5 November so that the Legion could collect for the Poppy Appeal then instead.

The Royal British Legion raised £115.2 million last year, of which £35 million was collected by an army of 300,000 staff and volunteers for the Poppy Appeal.

This afternoon, Birmingham City Council released a statement saying “Shelter and The Anthony Nolan Trust have contacted Birmingham City Council offering to relinquish their collection slots for November 11 and 12 respectively.

“The Council is therefore now able to offer these additional times and slots to the Royal British Legion, meaning they will be able to collect across the entire city on both days.”