OTLEY’S Royal British Legion branch has hailed the ‘marvellous’ local response to this year’s Poppy Appeal.

The branch has collected a total of £22,060 so far with more donations still to come in.

Volunteers held collections at Otley’s Waitrose and Sainsbury’s supermarkets which brought in £7798 and £6,799 respectively.

The Otley Army Cadets also collected more than £600 in the Market Square while £600 was raised at Stephen H Smith’s Garden Centre.

The total was further boosted by other other events including a concert by Otley Brass Band and the Chippendale Singers at the Parish Church in October, which brought in £1,160.

The Royal British Legion Otley branch’s Secretary Doris Gagen, who is retiring this year after many years’ service, said: “I would like to thank everyone who helped in any way.

“The new poppy organiser, Mrs Vincent, has done a great deal of work.

“My name seems to crop up but there are a lot of helpers who make everything possible and businesses and pubs also contribute.

“Special mention must be made of the poppies on the parish church - this was the idea of a lady, Mrs Goodenough, who only came to live in Otley recently and felt this would look good on our church.

“By enrolling knitting groups, arranging drop-off points for poppies and so on she managed it. The result has been a fantastic centre-point for our town and has also raised money for the Legion and the church.

“Lastly, a big thank you to anyone who has assisted me in any way over the last twenty or so years. I shall miss working with them.”

Mrs Gagen, who is an Honorary Citizen of Otley, will continue supporting the local Legion as she helps the new branch secretary get used to the role.

Referring to the Remembrance events that took place in Otley last weekend to mark the centenary of the First World War’s Armistice, she added: “Our parade was fantastic, as were the crowds.”

Mrs Gagen was made an Honorary Citizen by the Town Council back in 2005, when she said: “This is a real honour... but I feel I’ve been given this for all the people who stand in the cold collecting for the Royal British Legion.”