Hatfield Peverel man's Poppy Appeal driveway fundraising

Alan Mabbutt, 87, has become something of a local celebrity for sitting on his front drive on Maldon Road in Hatfield Peverel to collect for the Poppy Appeal.

This year’s Poppy Appeal has been launched by the Royal British Legion charity, which is celebrating its 100th year.

Service - Alan served as a medic in the army, and is pictured here in his uniform with his mother (Image: Newsquest) Alan lived through the war and spent time in air raid shelters as a child, and later served in the army as a medic for two years for his national service.

He said: “Oh, I loved it. I really enjoyed it.

“It gave me an outlook on life that children don’t get today, and it gave me independence and self-sufficiency.”

Alan started off at Crookham in Hampshire to complete his training before he was posted to the military hospital in Chester.

He realised he wasn’t suited to working on the wards, so then he was posted to an army territorial camp where he used to train the territorial officers.

At just 18-years-old, he came across a serious and traumatic accident where a man was crushed by a bulldozer which Alan said woke him up to “what real life is about.”

Appeal - Alan has raised around £15,000 in total over the past few years from his front drive (Image: Newsquest) He was then transferred to the mobile X-Ray unit, which was the “best job in the British Army” as it involved travelling to do the X-Rays for the soldiers coming out of the forces.

After he came out the army, he joined the fire service, which he also loved.

Alan has been part of the Poppy Appeal for six years, but he started his vigil on his front drive during the pandemic.

He said: “When we had lock down, I thought I’d just come out here.

“We had to keep the distance and wash hands, but I raised £6,115 that year.

“Last year it was £3,300, and the year before that it was about £5,000.”

Poppies - Alan's station offers pins, paper poppies, wristbands, and crochet poppies made by a neighbour (Image: Newsquest)He continued: “The Poppy Appeal is important for those who served and died for us and our freedom.

“The poppies are for a good cause; it goes to the families that have come back from Afghanistan.

“They make homes for these veterans and help with their mental health.

“It all goes to a very, very good cause.”

Alan has many visitors stop as they pass, and even some who have driven for miles to him after seeing him on Facebook.

Happy - Alan and Molly enjoy the many visitors they have who come to purchase poppies (Image: Newsquest)Molly Mabbutt, Alan’s wife of almost 65 years, said: “Everyone is really lovely, old and young.

“We have all the children running past with their coins on their way to school.”

Whilst sitting on his front drive, Alan wears his Queen’s Silver and Platinum Jubilee medals he has as a member of the fire service, as well as his national service medal and a medal celebrating 100 years of the territorial army, as well as his father’s medals from the war.

Alan will be sitting on his front drive for the Poppy Appeal up until Remembrance Sunday, November 10, when the country will come together to pay homage to the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the nation.