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A collector of Channel Island uniform, badges and military insignia since he was a child, Norman Woods has amassed a collection worth almost half-a-million pounds – but something was missing.
While his interests are extensive, one particular type of item has increasingly drawn his focus over the years: Channel Island poppy pin badges, which were first issued in 2006.
Having started out with poppies from his main interest, the Jersey Militia, Mr Woods slowly began accumulating lapel badges then some from the Jersey Police and things went from there.
"I just kept going,” he said. "In 2007, I was involved with the Militia and they did the Militia version [poppy] with the little badge on the front and I picked that one up, got the next one and then someone gave me a police one, which I used to work with a while ago.
“Bit by bit, I picked up here and there and ended up over a few years with about 20 or 30 poppy pins. That's when it stuck in my mind, and I thought, ‘I could start collecting these!'"
Years later, Mr Woods was down to only four pins left to collect out of over 180 ever made in the Channel Islands.
Then, after a visit to the Royal British Legion, he was left to just one to find: the 2018 Jersey Fire Service poppy.
After getting in touch, Mr Woods was then gifted the pin from the Fire Service who asked its staff if they could help out.
Pictured: The Fire and Rescue Service gifted Norman the badge at the St Helier station.
Thanks to the generosity of the staff, Mr Woods has a completely up-to-date set of 186 Channel Island poppy pins.
"Congratulations Norman – we're thrilled to have been able to help!" the Jersey Fire and Rescue team said.
But Mr Woods is refusing to sit back after completing the collection.
He has now moved his attention to enamel poppies that were first produced in 1895 – a challenge that may take at least another few years to complete...
Mr Wood’s full collection of Channel Island poppy pins...
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