Longest-serving Poppy Appeal collector dies
Howard Lake | 15 September 2010 | News
The longest-serving poppy collector, who raised funds for the Poppy Appeal since it began in 1921, has died in Devon at the age of 105. Noelle Benda Whitehead, Lady Milverton, was born on 18 Dec 1904 and first volunteered for the Poppy Appeal at the age of 16.
She continued to distribute poppies and to collect for the Appeal, including while she lived abroad, each November for the next 89 years.
“She collected for the Poppy Appeal last year and as usual, her effort yielded the biggest ‘tin’ returned,” said Peter Hearn, a Queen’s Messenger and Poppy Appeal organiser in Devon. “I spoke to the manager of her residence at Fleete House today, and he told me that the place seems empty without her.”
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The wife of a Colonial Office high-flyer, she spent nearly 20 years in North Borneo, Gambia, Fiji, Jamaica and Nigeria.
Lady Milverton’s contribution to the Poppy Appeal was recognised in her 100th year, when she was the guest of honour at the Festival of Remembrance in Devon and received 80 years’ worth of Poppy Appeal collector awards from the Lord Lieutenant of Devon.
“She had a remarkable life and made a tremendous contribution to the Poppy Appeal,” said John Pentreath, the Royal British Legion‘s County Manager for Devon. “We will ensure that The Royal British Legion pays its full respects at her service.”
- War-horses for causes: how 24 First World War cavalry horses raised the equivalent of £16m (19 May 2014)
- Poppy bags raise £1m for Royal British Legion (15 November 2017)
- The history of the iconic poppy badge (15 November 2019)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.