Scottish Poppy Appeal
The 2009 Scottish Poppy Appeal raised a record £2,215,745 - an increase of 8.3%. Over the past three years the Appeal has achieved a 41% rise in income.
Money raised through the Scottish Poppy Appeal is used to support veterans and their dependants in Scotland. It is spent in the following areas:
Providing direct financial assistance to individuals
Funding an advice service for the veterans’ community
Grants and research for organisations that deliver support to veterans in Scotland
Supporting the employment of veterans with disabilities in Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory
Inspired by Lt Col John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields written during the First World War, the poppy has become the symbol of remembrance for those who gave their lives. The first Poppy Appeal took place in 1921 with poppies imported from France and in 1926 Lady Haig established the Poppy Factory in Edinburgh.