‘I spent a day with Remembrance poppy sellers – my faith in humanity is restored’ | UK | News

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With Armistice Day just under three weeks away, the Royal British Legion’s annual poppy appeal has begun.

Spiralling living costs and ominous predictions about Rachel Reeves’ maiden budget this week had led me to ponder whether Brits’ appetite for charitable donation, however worthy the cause, may have waned.

A pootle down to London Waterloo on Friday afternoon revealed that that concern was misplaced. Albeit a small sample size, the Royal British Legion’s volunteer-manned stand outside platform 5 appeared to attract healthy interest from bustling commuters and unrushed daytrippers alike.

Perhaps my concern at finding solemn-looking volunteers, ignored by cash-strapped passengers that had no doubt overpaid for their rail fare, was naive. As cadet forces veteran Jane Treutlein, who had just made a donation, rightfully pointed out: “I think people will give what they can afford. I don’t think the Royal British Legion pressures people to give money.”

Jane’s faith in the charitable spirit of the British public certainly seemed justified. David Poynter, a poppy-seller of 29 years, could barely finish his sentences as he spoke to me, without being interrupted by another punter after their poppy.

Mistaken though I was about the poppy appeal’s power to transcend the cost of living crisis, I felt far more confident about another assumption I’d made prior to arriving at Waterloo: if anyone was buying poppies, they wouldn’t be young.

Wrong again.

Although the majority of those that approached David and his stall were older, there was a good smattering of youngsters taking an interest as the afternoon ticked on.

One such punter was 21-year-old King’s College London student, Charlie.

Speaking with conviction, the young man told me: “I’m choosing to donate and get a poppy because it’s a very important thing to do for everyone to basically contribute and give back something to veterans.

“I spent of all of yesterday running around trying to find someone [to buy a poppy from].”

Recognising the modern relevance of the poppy appeal, besides its historical significance, he added that he wore a poppy to honour those that served “in contemporary wars” and “to remember the veterans that have now passed from previous wars”.

He also noted the Royal British Legion’s role in supporting veterans in the absence of adequate state aid for ex-servicemen and women.

“There’s been a lot of government failure and the veterans system hasn’t been as strong as it could be,” he said.

Another youngster I spoke to, 18-year-old Finlay from Exeter, was in the services himself.

He told me: “I donated because I’m in the army myself. So I’m in the Household Cavalry at the moment.

“And my Dad served in the army for 24 years, went to Afghanistan and Iraq. So I take this quite importantly to myself and my family.”

Finlay and Charlie’s reverence for the armed forces and for the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal is enough to restore your faith in Britain’s young people. Let’s hope they’re not outliers.

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