COWDENBEATH'S business community are coming together to support Poppy Scotland as the annual collection begins in the run-up to Remembrance Day.

The town's three major supermarkets are amongst those who will be aiming to raise funds to support the charity's yearly appeal ahead of Remembrance Sunday, on November 10.

Former Cowdenbeath Gala Day organiser, and long-time community councillor, Alex Haddow, has been persuaded to become the Poppy Day co-ordinator for the Cowdenbeath area for 2024, and he has been busy rallying support for the cause.

That has included backing from Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi, as he explained: "We are delighted with the backing of the business community in the town with our big three big supermarkets supporting collections.

"Things will get underway on November 1, when John Bald, a rotary club member and collector of World War Two memorabilia, sets up his special table in the Morrisons store off High Street."

That will begin a week-long campaign which provides support for current and former members of the Armed Forces, as well as their families.

On November 2, John Bald moves to the Lidl store, at the north end of High Street, while other Rotary club members take his place, along with Cowdenbeath Community Council members and members of the local Army Cadets group.

The community council will also be involved in a street collection on High Street, while there will be a collection that day at the Cowdenbeath v Celtic 'B' Lowland League game at Central Park.

As the week goes on, there will be collection tables at the Aldi store, in Stenhouse Street, and the Co-op Store in Dalbeath Crescent, before another street collection takes place on Saturday November 9.

There will also be collection boxes in shops and cafes, up and down High Street, and in all the public houses in the town, with Alex noting: "At Lucy Sue’s Gift Shop, on High Street, striking Poppy Badges will be on sale priced at £5, and all money collected will go into the collection."

Alex has also been involved in arrangements in the town for Remembrance Day itself, adding: "That day will see a service take place at 1.30pm, at the World War One monument at the Public Park, then at 2.25pm the parade to the Town House Memorial starts. and taking part will be Kingdom Brass Band and the Black Watch Cadets Pipe Band.

"Wreaths will be placed at the memorial after a short service."

Collections will also be taking place in Crossgates, Hill of Beath, Kelty, Lumphinnans, Benarty, Cardenden.

Meanwhile, in Lochgelly, while there will be Poppy collections taking place, Remembrance Day 2024 will be a special one as the town's war memorial, in Bank Street, is 100 years old.

A special event is planned for Remembrance Sunday, which will see the Lord Lieutenant of Fife, and Provost, Jim Leishman, himself a Lochgelly man, involved.