THE town council is one step closer to actualising its dream for Holsworthy to become the ‘Devon Poppy Town’.

A retrospective vote was held at the full town council meeting on Wednesday, April 5, for a bid to be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £10,000. This money will be used for a proposed town-wide commemorative event to mark the end of the First World War.

Town clerk Vanessa Saunders explained why the vote had to be retrospective. She said: “It is unusual that we would do this but, as I am sure you will understand, these things are time dependent and we had to get a bid in quickly. So, we need retrospective approval to say the bid we have already made can be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund.”

Councillors voted unanimously that the bid could be made.

The end goal for the council is to see the town covered in poppies in time to commemorate the end of the First World War. Mrs Saunders said this lottery bid will amount to 49% of the overall budget and the rest will be supplied ‘in kind time’ by Torridge District and Devon County Councils.

She added: “It is very competitive so there is no guarantee we will get this funding from the Heritage Lottery but we all have to hope. It will be a few weeks, however, before the decision regarding funding is made, so we will have to wait and see.”