A poppy seller from Royston is celebrating her 50th anniversary raising money for the Poppy Appeal.

Shirley Moore, 77, started selling poppies when she lived in North London, and saw an advert in her local paper calling for volunteers.

After two years, Shirley moved to Royston and continued collecting there - with the role changing and expanding over the years.

Her daughter Lisa said: "It used to be one tray of poppies and one collecting tin. She used to do a street collection until the 30th year.

Naomi Digby and Shirley Moore beside their Poppy Appeal table in Tesco RoystonNaomi Digby and Shirley Moore beside their Poppy Appeal table in Tesco Royston (Image: Lisa Moore) "Now she's moved into Tesco and she's got a table laid out with wristbands and pin badges."

Lisa and Shirley explained that the table now accepts card payments as well as cash. 

Shirley said: "I think people have got more generous as the years have gone on. It's been such a long time for me.

"It's a charity that's very close to our hearts."

The family has a long history with the military going back to the early 20th century, and Shirley's husband - Lisa's father - was in the army.

For the past six years, Shirley has been helped at her Poppy Appeal table by 14-year-old Naomi Digby, who Shirley describes as her "right-hand man".

In 2018, Naomi - then aged eight - visited Shirley's table with her mum and two sisters and asked to stay at the table while her mum went shopping.

Since then she has helped out every year.

Lisa said: "Naomi's ready to take over if Mum decides she wants to call it quits, but I honestly don't think she will.

"Mum has had some pretty poorly health in the last couple of years but every November she still plods along and musters up energy from somewhere."

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Lisa and Shirley also took part in the Poppy Walk in London on Saturday, November 2, with Lisa pushing Shirley along in a wheelchair.

This year there was no one to organise the appeal at Tesco's Royston branch, so the Baldock branch welcomed Shirley for her 50th year.

Shirley said: "I said at 30 years I was going to stop. I can't see myself giving it up."