News

Ayrshire veterans venture east to enjoy historic tour

Eight Ayrshire veterans made the pilgrimage across the country recently for a special visit and tour of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, in Edinburgh, where a team of injured ex-Servicemen and Servicewomen hand-produce more than five million poppies every year for the charity’s annual Poppy Appeal.

The trip was arranged by staff at Poppyscotland’s new Ayrshire Welfare Centre, based in Kilmarnock. At a weekly drop-in session at the centre, veterans found out that the iconic Poppy Factory is going to be refurbished after this year’s Poppy Appeal, and they expressed a desire to visit before the work began.

Read more

The Flying Fifers ready to ride for poppyscotland

A group of cyclists are gearing up for yet another fundraising odyssey to help raises thousands of pounds for leading Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland. The Flying Fifers will set off on Saturday (June 30th) from Leven and will cycle more than 120 miles a day for six days until they arrive in the French commune of Compiègne where the 1918 Armistice was signed. Just a few miles into their route will see the group taking part in the Armed Forces Day parade along Edinburgh’s George Street.

Read more

poppyscotland on the lookout for fundraising help in Dunblaine

Scotland’s leading Armed Forces charity is searching for a new Scottish Poppy Appeal Area Organiser (AO) to lead the fundraising push in Dunblane this year and beyond.

Poppyscotland Head of Fundraising Gordon Michie explains: “We’re looking for individuals, groups of friends, or community organisations that have good organisational skills to step forward to lead this year’s Appeal in Dunblane. Last year, £13,500 was raised in the area, but, without your help, we will struggle to collect even a fraction of that amount.

Read more

Poppyscotland Inverness celebrates its fifth birthday

Poppyscotland’s pioneering welfare centre in Inverness today celebrated its fifth birthday with the positive news that it has dealt with more than 3,000 enquiries since 2013 and taken up nearly 400 separate welfare cases.

With an estimated Armed Forces community of 100,000 in the north of Scotland, Poppyscotland identified a need for the creation of a welfare centre where veterans and their families could drop in at any point to receive help and advice. And drop in they have at a rate of nearly a dozen a week.

Read more

Scotland rugby star launches Poppyscotland fundraiser

Scotland star helping veterans bounce back

Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby star Hamish Watson hopped to it yesterday to help launch a brand new family fundraiser in aid of leading Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland.

The Big Poppy Bounce will see supporters of all ages descend upon BT Murrayfield to climb aboard space hoppers and race 100 metres – for 100 years – to help our veterans bounce back into civilian life in the process.

The Big Poppy Bounce will take place over the back pitches at the iconic home of Scottish Rugby on Sunday, 19th August, and it is hoped the fun day out will raise in excess of £10,000 to support Poppyscotland’s life-changing work for the Armed Forces community living in Scotland.

Read more

Your veterans need you! Legion Scotland calls for volunteers

Scotland’s largest membership charity for veterans is on the lookout for volunteers to help tackle isolation and loneliness among the Armed Forces community.

Legion Scotland’s recruitment drive for its Veterans Community Support Service, which was launched last year, is asking people to spare a few hours in order to improve support for veterans and their families in the community.

Kevin Gray MM, Chief Executive Officer of Legion Scotland, said: “We have experienced a huge increase in demand for our unique service since it was launched in July 2017.

Read more

Cabinet Secretary helps launch special centenary poppy

Keith Brown MSP visited Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, in Edinburgh, earlier today to help launch a stunning new commemorative poppy, which will be distributed and worn during the 2018 Scottish Poppy Appeal.

As part of the leading Armed Forces charity’s programme of activity to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, Poppyscotland has commissioned a Centenary Poppy, which has the text “1918-2018” embossed in gold across the traditional and iconic red paper poppy. It will be the first change to the poppy in decades.

Read more

Volunteers needed to make Aberdeen Poppy Day a day to remember

It was a fun event that captured the imagination of the city in 2017, but organisers of this year’s Aberdeen Poppy Day are already hard at work behind the scenes to make it even bigger and better this time around. And to boost this worthwhile event further, they are sending out a plea in the hope of recruiting more volunteers.

Matt Fyfe, who is the Poppyscotland Area Organiser for Aberdeen, said: “We have a great team of volunteers here in Aberdeen, but we need a few more willing individuals or groups to come forward to lend a hand on the day.

Read more

Scotland’s state band comes to Kilmarnock

Scotland’s best-known military band, which is in the midst of its first-ever national tour, is all set to perform in Kilmarnock after receiving a warm welcome today from the Provost.

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland is performing at seven venues across the country as part of its “Walking with Heroes” centenary tour which is aiming to raise tens of thousands of pounds for leading Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland.

Scotland’s State Band, as it is also known, will be performing at the Kilmarnock Grand Hall on June 15th, but, earlier today, members of the Band local to the area joined East Ayrshire Provost Jim Todd and the Poppyscotland team to spread the word about the eagerly anticipated concert.

Read more

Veterans to return to World War Two scene of Arctic Convoys

Three veterans in their nineties will travel to Wester Ross today to attend a special annual ceremony on Sunday to commemorate the Russian Arctic Convoys of the Second World War; an event that claimed 3,000 lives.

The trio, who are making the trip thanks to the Unforgotten Forces project which supports older veterans and their families in Scotland, have become close friends and will also enjoy a three-night stay at a hotel in Gairloch as part of a new “Break Away” service.

Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, which brought the Western Allies together to provide essential support and supplies to the Soviet forces.

Read more
Items 161 to 170 of 183
Our Executive Members

By @Cobseo 54 years ago

Afghanistan support

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here