POPPY Appeal volunteer Jean Heath had vowed to carrying on collecting after completing five decades of fundraising around her village.

Mum-of-four Jean Heath, from Chadlington, West Oxfordshire, was honoured by the Royal British Legion at a celebration lunch at the village memorial hall on Wednesday.

County chairman of the RBL Lynda Atkins thanked Mrs Heath for her dedication and presented her with a certificate and commemorative badge at the lunch attended by about 50 people.

Mrs Heath, 79, lives with husband Pete, who served in The Royal Artillery in Germany in 1955 to 1957.

She was the Poppy Appeal organiser for 10 years until the position was taken over last year by Martin Brewster but still shakes her collecting tin around the village.

The former teaching assistant said: "If I can still do the gardening and feed my chickens then I can carry on collecting.

"I was delighted to get the award - lots of my friends were there at the lunch and they all applauded me in the presentation."

Mrs Heath and her 79-year-old husband, who still works as a gardener, moved to Chadlington in 1961 and she began collecting for the RBL in 1966.

She added: "When I started out we would walk the whole length of the village after school - now it takes longer because there are more houses."

Mrs Heath handed over the role of Poppy Appeal organiser as she was finding it difficult to climb up to the kitchen attic where she stored the collection boxes.

Ms Atkins said: "It's astonishing to think that Jean has been collecting for nearly as long as I have been alive.

"She has shown great determination for the cause over the years and she will keep going.

"It was lovely that she received the award in the company of people in the village who she has known for years."

This year RBL fundraisers in Oxfordshire are hoping a record-breaking £575,000 will be raised to support servicemen and their families.

Every year more than 300,000 volunteers are needed across the country to raise vital funds supporting former Armed Services personnel and their families.

Community fundraiser for the RBL in Oxfordshire Mark Garwood said: "Jean is an absolute inspiration and has raised thousands of pounds for the Poppy Appeal over the years.

"She has worked so hard and is a shining example to other collectors.

"She knew she was going to get the award because her son Calvin had mentioned it to her.

"Long service awards start from the five-year mark but Jean must be one of the longest-serving collectors in the whole county."

Mr Garwood added there were vacancies for Poppy Appeal organisers in Thame, Stadhampton, and Bodicote near Banbury.

For more information or to get involved in fundraising efforts email mgarwood@britishlegion.org.uk