A total of £39,000 was raised by Ramsey Royal British Legion in its annual Poppy Appeal last year.

The amount will support serving members of the Armed Forces, their families and veterans from all branches of the armed forces who have fought in different conflicts.

It was raised through collection boxes that were stationed in Ramsey shops which had signed up to support the appeal.

Further donations were raised through coffee mornings that were organised by the group.

The overall amount came to £39,222.63.

A special presentation took place at the town’s Shoprite and Co-op shops, with the group giving the shops an awards that recognises the stores’ continued support to the Royal British Legion.

The bulk of donations this year had come from the shops’ collection boxes.

An Royal British Legion spokesman said: ’This is a fantastic contribution by a branch of the Royal British Legion.

’The people of Ramsey and the north of the Isle of Man should rightly be proud and we are very grateful for this wonderful donation.’

Since 1921, the Royal British Legion has been supporting the Armed Forces community. The organisation provides expert advice and guidance, including recovery and rehabilitation, plus transitioning to civilian life.

The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s biggest fundraising campaign, which is held every year in November. As part of this appeal, it distributes paper poppies to raise funds.

The poppy is a symbol of remembrance and pays tribute to those who lost their lives at war.

For 2020, the Royal British Legion will focus on the men and women of the Second World War generation from Britain, the Commonwealth and Allied nations who came back and rebuilt their homes and the world at the end of the conflict.