Air, Sea, Army and Fire Service cadet units from across the Coventry and Warwickshire area have been honoured by the Royal British Legion at a presentation evening for raising more than £28,000 for the annual Poppy Appeal.

A total of Twenty-one cadet units had all actively participated in the 2007 Warwickshire County Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal collection raising a staggering £28,000 an increase of more than £10,000 on the previous year .

The presentation evening attendet by The Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire Martin Dunne and the Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth Cllr Bill Shepherd was held at the Bedworth Ex-Servicemen's Club, in Rye Piece Ringway, Bedworth, on Wednesday, 19 th March.

Alan Mallett, the Royal British Legion's Bedworth based county field officer, said: "This year a record number of twenty-one cadet units from the Air Training Corps, Army Cadet Force, Sea Cadets and Youth Fire Service took part in the Warwickshire County collection. It is so pleasing to see that the youth of today are doing their bit to help those who risked their lives in the service of their country. The Poppy Appeal is as relevant today as it was over 80 years ago when it started and the cold facts are that ex-servicemen, women and their dependants who commit their lives to the service of this country deserve all the help we can give them."

Representatives from five Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing Air Cadet units; 8F (1st City of Coventry) , 121 (Nuneaton), 492 (Solihull) , 496 (Balsall Common) , 2028 (Southam) , 2030 (Elmdon & Yardley) together with 1200 (Polesworth) Squadron from Staffs Wing were all recognised for their contribution and received a Warwickshire County Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal Certificate of Appreciation which was presented by The Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire Martin Dunne.

Cadets from 1200 (Polesworth) Squadron took 1 st 2 nd and 3 rd place in the competition for the highest amount raised by individual Air Cadets. But the highlight of the presentations came when 8F (1st City of Coventry) Squadron received the county competition award for the highest overall cadet unit collection with their staggering contribution of £4,963.86 with 1200 (Polesworth) Squadron receiving the runners up trophy for their collection of £3209 and 492 (Solihull) Squadron taking third place with £854.

Following the presentations the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire Martin Dunne gave a short address, during which he said "We are indebted to these young men and women, and their leaders for their outstanding efforts towards the Poppy Appeal collections. I hope this yearly initiative can continue to raise the money we so desperately need each year to support the welfare of the ex-service community."