For two weeks during the annual Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, members of Chorley and Leyland volunteered at the poppy stand at Tesco Extra Leyland. This is one of four charity events officially supported by the group.
Other charities supported by the group include; the Rosemere Cancer Unit’s ‘Walk in the Dark’, St Catherine’s Hospice ‘Moonlight and Memories Walk’ and Lancashire MIND’s ‘Mental ‘Elf Fun Run’, for which the group takes full responsibility for the organisation and recruitment of volunteers.
Although a number of poppy stands in the Chorley and Leyland area count Freemasons among their volunteers, the group offered to take over the organisation in Leyland two years ago when a local company who had been providing volunteers was forced to pull out at the last minute.
With members providing over 100 hours of volunteering over the two-week period, this year set a new record for the Leyland poppy stand with a total raised of £15,339, which was £1,000 more than last year. Regional charity steward Shaun Bilsborough said: “Supporting charities through volunteering forms a vital part of our community engagement and highlights the good work Freemasons are doing in the local area beyond the already well-established fundraising and donations made throughout the year.”
The poppy stand was honoured with a visit from the mayor of South Ribble, Paul Wharton-Hardman BEM, who also happens to be the Chorley and Leyland Group Vice Chairman. Hazel Walton, the Royal British Legion coordinator for Leyland, thanked the group for their continued support and looked forward to their help with the Poppy Appeal 2026.