A SCHOOL has been named ‘Top of the Poppies’ for the fourth year running for raising the most money from the annual Remembrance appeal.

Primrose Hill C of E Primary Academy received the shield and certificate, at a special assembly, from representatives of the Lydney and District Royal British Legion (RBL) after pupils collected a bumper £220.

Headteacher Vicki Henson said: “We’re thrilled that once again we’ve made a big contribution to the work of the RBL in supporting families. We are very proud of the fundraising that our children and their families do.

“Not only has the school raised this sum for the centenary Poppy Appeal, the children have collected £467 for the CLIC Sargent cancer charity and £277 for Children In Need in the same month.

“The children and their families at Primrose Hill are so generous with their time and money. They just keep giving.”

Asked about the centenary Poppy Appeal, she said: “We do World War One and Two as topics and it’s really important for the children to learn about and remember what happened. Many have relatives who were involved.

“This year, the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI has been very poignant remembering those people who gave so much for us.

“We’ve done all sorts of projects, including a mock-up evacuation at Dean Forest Railway, with the staff and pupils dressed up in 1940s clothing, and the children sporting ID labels and gas masks.

“We’re very grateful to the RBL, who visit the school regularly and work with us to raise the children’s awareness, and were delighted recently when some of our pupils who wrote memorial poems had them included in a wreath taken to the Menin Gate.

“And with the Poppy Appeal, it’s all been run by the children with the head boy and head girl, Danny Kiely and Ruby Cooper, taking the collecting box round.”

Lydney and District RBL chairman Mel Rudge said: “We’re delighted to be here today making this award. We go to all the local schools - they’re our future and it doesn’t cost anything to say thank you.”

His son Stan Rudge, the Lydney Poppy Appeal organiser, said a special mention should also be made of Aylburton Primary, which had come second in the local fundraising just £19 behind Primrose Hill.

And he said that boosted by the 100th anniversary, the local branch was set for a record year, with nearly £21,000 already collected, some £5,000 ahead of last December.

“We’ve still got the Poppy Appeal concert in February and various summer fêtes and shows to collect at before our year ends in September. It’s great that people have shown such support in this milestone year.”