AN ARMED Forces veteran has reached across the generations to create a Poppy Appeal badge just for Dawlish.

Richard Hayward, a member of the town’s Royal British Legion Club, has been designing and selling bespoke badges tailored jespecially for Dawlish for the past eight years.

During that time he has raised more than £15k for the charity which supports ex-servicemen.

Since 2015 Richard has thought up the designs himself, with the badges reflecting an aspect of the resort.

This year, for a change he approached Gatehouse Primary Academy and after discussions with school staff organised a competition where pupils could submit their own suggestions.

Richard, an ex-Royal Navy Master at Arms, judged the entries, more than 70 of them, and selected the winning entry – an image showing a stylised version of the famous Dawlish black swan amidst a bank of poppies, designed by six-year-old Ella Langley.

The badges are currently being manufactured and are due to be on sale mid-March. The initial run is for 500, but if past years are anything to go by the final tally is expected to be 1,000.

A spokesperson for Gatehouse Academy said: ‘More than 70 pupils, aged five to 11 took part in the design competition and Ella’s winning entry was wonderful. The children take part in an assembly every November so they understand the significance of the poppy and the Poppy Appeal itself.’

Richard added: ‘I wish to thank Gatehouse Primary Academy School in allowing their pupils to take part in designing the 2023 Dawlish Remembrance Badge Competition .’