Wimborne welcomes Poppy Appeal volunteers

Wimborne Care Home on Hayling Island achieved Veteran Friendly Framework status earlier this year and has warm and strong community links with many veteran supportive organisations. As such inviting the Hayling Island Poppy Appeal organiser Angela Hopkins and her team of over 25 volunteers was a very natural thing to do.

Angela has led the team for more than four years, taking the sum raised from £5K four years ago to an interim (and counting) £20K so far in 2025.

This was of course absolutely worthy of celebration; Wimborne wanted to firstly help acknowledge the commitment and care of the volunteers, and secondly to take the organisation and costs of such a celebration away as concerns.

The spacious conservatory at Wimborne was beautifully festively decorated, with trees and twinkling lights, a lovely tree and plenty of seasonally appropriate touches. Angela brought in a lovely array of wooden tree decorations for her Poppy volunteers to take home. A volunteer knitter Jean has crafted some unique personalised knitted crackers and there was a delicious edible take away. Meanwhile Head Chef Hayden had whipped up a batch of melt in the mouth cookies which went down a storm.

Angela took the opportunity to warmly thank her volunteers explaining she could not have done this without them. They in turn explained they couldn’t have managed without her. Everyone agreed it was a great team effort!

Nikki Shepherd, the Home Services Advisor from Wimborne explained that as volunteers it’s so important to feel valued and appreciated and Wimborne simply wanted to add to the appreciation of them.

She explained that as a Veteran Friendly Home they are keen to support and encourage veteran supporting activities. She spoke of the Veterans Bacon Butty Morning hosted at Wimborne on the second Tuesday of each month at 10.30am. Some of the veteran Poppy volunteers were as a result hoping to attend.

Corrine Holland, Acting General Manager of Wimborne commented: “We want to thank those in our community who helped the Hayling 2025 Poppy Appeal, but especially to the team behind all the local effort – well done to Angela, her husband Brian, granddaughter Lola and the wonderful team. Congratulations on raising over £20,000!’

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