Mick Townsend, 58, has been a Poppy Appeal collector in Oxford city centre for about nine years. Each year he books a week off work and travels from his home in Carterton to stand at his regular spot in Cornmarket selling poppies.

He started his career in the Army Catering Corps in 1970 and served until 1975. Then in 1976 he joined the RAF serving as a chef until 1986.

During his time in the services he served in Northern Ireland, and was also based in Belgium, Holland, Belize and Germany.

The relief chef manager said: “From Saturday, November 2, I’m going to be out on the streets of Oxford. “I take a week’s holiday every year to do that.

“It’s my way of giving something back.”

He said money raised was used for a host of services for injured and retired servicemen and their families.

“There are people out there with medical needs and financial needs, or even just need someone to go out and talk to them.

“This money helps to pay for people going out to see them.”

He said the Poppy Appeal was a small but import- ant part of what the Royal British Legion did.