Selling Poppies

[Talbot]

My wife was outside a large food store yesterday "selling poppies" when she was accosted by a somewhat irate lady asking why she was selling them as she wasnt old enough to understand what it meant.
SWMBO was more than a little taken aback by this, for a start she is in her early 50s, and I have spent 30 years in the services, and have served where the bangs and crashes were not Powerskippers fireworks /forums/images/icons/smile.gif,

besides if she felt so strongly about it, why wasnt she the one with the tray of poppies trying to get other people to contribute?

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[Rowana]

Very sad!

What would the poor sods who benefit from the poppies make of it, I wonder?

Like you, I'm not old enough to remember the war (baby boomer born just after), but I was brought up to respect all those who were involved, and I've tried to instill the same in my children.

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[timentide]

What a shame that this should happen. What point was the irate lady making? Has one got to be blind to help the blind or only animals can collect for RSPCA or even only lifeboatmen for RNLI!!!
What price a caring society?

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[ccscott49]

Stupid damn woman, the poppies are for all ex servicemen, not just the ones that died in the two world wars, what about the lads lost in conflicts all over the world, even now in Iraq, I cannot stand these kind of folk, if you havent got anything nice to say, keep yer trap shut! I too am an ex serviceman.

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[graham]

You could have asked her if the lads of the Black Watch are old enough?/forums/images/icons/frown.gif

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[kds]

Words fail me - bring back the assylums !
Ken

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[Becky]

It makes you wonder how some people find their way home when they go out on their own. You have to make allowances for the intellectually challenged in this world. Or re-elect them /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[Sybarite]

Just think. She also has a vote...!!

Must be American.

John

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[nightjar]

The only votes that matter are the ones that will consign Blair, Hoon, Brown and the rest of that greedy rabble to oblivion next election.


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[ShipsWoofy]

This is not a question with any kind of agenda, honestly.

Every year I diligently put money in the box and wear my poppy. I usually insert some paper wad too to buy a cross, to take and plant for my great uncle and granddad at the memorial.

Where does the money go exactly. I was always dissuaded from contributing in house to the RAF benevolent fund as it was widely known the only people who seemed to gain from that were high rankers in the RAF.

Would somebody please reassure me that the right people are getting help from poppy sales, also, how much on average is raised, do we make a difference?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>

 

[Althorne]

They are back but called "seekers" now.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://colvicownersclub.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk>http://colvicownersclub.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk</A>

 

[Bergman]

Too true

The casualties didn't stop in 1945

Just heard on news about 2 more seriously injured in Iraq, wonder what she would say to their families.

Stupid old trout

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[bob_tyler]

The poppies are made in the British Legion factory in Richmond on Thanes, near the Royal Star and Garter Home.

This home is supported by the British Legion and is for ex-servicemen of all three services who are well looked after.

A very worthwhile cause that deserves everyone's full support.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.starandgarter.org/>http://www.starandgarter.org/</A>

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[Talbot]

Re: Where is the money used

This is probably more information than you wanted, but:

The Royal British Legion is the leading ex-Service charity protecting the welfare, interests and memory of ex-Service people and their families and dependants.
The Legion was founded in 1921.
Some 11 million people in the UK are eligible to ask for its help.
The Legion is the UK 's largest membership organisation, with 527,695 members (including the Women's Section). Anyone can be a member, ex-Service or not.
You don't have to be a Legion member to receive assistance – but you must be an ex-Serviceperson or a dependant. Anyone who has been in the British Armed Forced for seven days or more (and their dependants) is eligible for help.
People as young as 17.5 years can be sent on active service, so veterans are often much younger than people realise.
There has only been one year (1968) since the Second World War when a British Service person hasn't been killed on active service.
Each year the Legion answers 300,000 calls for help to its helpline, Legionline.
It helps with a huge range of issues, including counselling, job retraining, skills assessment, getting the right pensions and benefits, advice and interest free loans for setting up small businesses, welfare grants, Remembrance Travel to war graves, convalescent and nursing care, and home and hospital visits.
The Legion has close links to many other charities, organisations and trusts, enabling it to draw on the best resources and expertise, and to refer people to those best equipped to help them.
The Legion will be needed for as long as people continue to be affected by conflict. It doesn't advocate war but is simply there to support those who have been prepared to make a personal sacrifice through serving in the British Armed Forces.
The Poppy Appeal raised over £21.7 million in 2003.
In 2003 the Legion spent over £54 million on its work. Apart from donations, funds come from legacies, sponsorship, corporate support, fundraising events.
70% of the workers at the Poppy Factory are disabled or suffer from chronic illness. The Factory was designed to offer jobs to such people and its remit remains the same today.
300,000 staff and volunteers organise the Poppy Appeal each year
More than 34 million poppies, 107,000 wreaths and sprays, 800,000 Remembrance Crosses and other Remembrance items will be made at the Poppy Factory in Richmond , Surrey , this year.

Poppies Distributed
34.2 m

Care Home Residents
400

Veterans & Carer Breaks Guests
4,200
Per Annum

War Pensions Cases
35,000

Cases represented at War Pensions Tribunals
3,900*

Almonising Income
£10.2m

People in Employment through RBL
3,000

Trained Case Workers
5,000

Welfare Visits and request for assistance
300,000

Visitors to War Cemeteries
991
Includes 48 War Widows

School Children's Visits to War Cemeteries
331

Army Recruits' Visits to War Cemeteries
7501

Small Business Loans
£375,000

Careers Advice
1,300
Requests

London Taxi Driver Training
10
Passes of the Knowledge



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[Vara]

RBL uses its money to benefit ex service men and women(and dependents),and provides all the the things that Talbot lists so comprehensively.
It is also worth noting that if you go to them with a problem they will sort it out with the minimum of fuss and bureaucracy,unlike so many so called helping agencies.
I have referred a number of ex servicemen to them and they have been absolutely amazing with the speed and effectiveness of their response.
Well worth supporting IMHO.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it cant be fixed with a lump hammer don't fit it

 

[BobOwen]

My old man (RIP) was an ex gunner. After his heart attack he was left stuck in a wheelchair. Some old pals of his heard about it, approached the Legion and they offered help with a motorised chair within days of hearing about it.

The family and my father were touched by this, but as we could afford it between us we bought one for him anyway, so as not to use their hard won resources.

Grand work they do.

Arte Et Marte

<hr width=100% size=1>Beer - its not just for Breakfast you know.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Thank you everyone, it is good to know that the money does go to the right place.



<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>

 

[tcm]

Re: Flame

at the risk of being flamed, it's all a bit old hat. Can we have a new emblem instead of boring old poppies? Or...praps it's time to can the whole thing? Sorry, but if you are a normal middle of the road type these daysm you don't wear a poppy UNLESS you work for the righton leftie BBC, AFAIK. This in no way means that i am unsupportive of old soldiers, actually - thus i reckon there is a vast untapped market of vaguley supportive type like me totally lacking in exp of wot end of a gun does the shooting. Actually, i've never seen a real person-killing gun, either. Come to think of it, unless you are a bit of a saddo like me who hunts around the sat TV for Nazi/WW stuff, i reckon huge %age of under 40's don't know what the poppies are about. First off, i reckon they shd be porperly looked after by govt instead of a blimmin charity. Maybe?

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[Gunfleet]

Sorry to hear someone was so rude to your wife. i have found poppies a bit hard to come by this year, which is poignant because this summer I found the grave of my great uncle on Vimy Ridge. I'm sure I'm the first relly ever to go there, just because my Gran and her siblings never had any money. I can tell you the discovery was no less poignant for the distance, and your wife can assure the next rude numbskull who tells her off that those of us with a direct relationship to his generation (i.e. nearly all of us who bother to look) do not lack respect for nor confidence in your own generation of servicemen. The debt does not diminish.

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[Andrew_Fanner]

I was Best Man at a wedding on Saturday. The groom requested poppies be part of the rig of the day, with or without buttonhole. The only guests who failed to do so were the "right on leftie" ones. Clarkson et al on Top Gear don't strike me as too PC but they had theirs.

I was taught at an early age that the poppy means "thank you" and that not saying thank you is very bad manners.

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.