The history of the poppy

How the poppy became as a symbol of Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future, as well as how it became an important fundraising tool.

Contact your local fundraiser

Get in touch for ideas on ways to make your fundraising activity a success. We can answer your questions and send you fun fundraising resources.

How we help

We provide support for current and former members of the Armed Forces as well as their families. Find out more about our services.

Meet our volunteers

Our volunteers are incredible and give up hours of their precious time to support our Armed Forces community.

Our history

We've been supporting the Armed Forces community since 1921.

Housing

Helping your find, keep and stay in your own home is a huge part of what we do.

Research & reports archive

Our welfare research and reports go back to 2006 and our Annual Report and Accounts go back to 2015/16. Have a look in our archive for more info.

Mental health

Life in the Armed Forces is demanding. It can take a toll on relationships or impact work - during service or long after you've left. We're here to help.

Our people

We employ a team of staff who are dedicated to ensuring the Armed Forces community in Scotland receive the best care and support possible.

things to do

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Credit their Service

Poppyscotland, along with the Royal British Legion launched the "Credit their Service" in 2023, a campaign demanding an end to the treatment of military compensation as income by welfare benefit means tests, which results in veterans and their families missing out on thousands of pounds a year.

Falklands: distracting Argentinian forces from Mt Tumbledown

Les Braby had served in the Scots Guards for 20 years when he was sent to the Falklands. He led men in a diversionary attack in the final days of the conflict, distracting Argentinian forces from Mt Tumbledown.

New plastic-free poppy

Available from October 2023, the new poppy maintains the iconic poppy design and can be fastened with a pin, inserted into a buttonhole, or a stick-on version is available. The paper used in the new poppy is made from a blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources and can be recycled in ordinary paper recycling collections.

Falklands: how it shaped my life and career

As a teenager looking forward to university, Mark Beverstock didn’t expect to be sent to a war zone. Forty years later, the retired Rear Admiral looks back on how this early experience shaped his life and career.

Book club

Our exciting new digital Book Club for younger learners launches online in September 2022. We’ve chosen books that will encourage and inspire children to explore different themes linked to war.

Collect in your local area

Whether you have only a few hours, a few days or more, there are plenty of opportunities to hold a box of poppies and a tin, and collect for the Poppy Appeal in your local area.

Volunteer as an Area Organiser

Find out more about volunteering as a Poppy Appeal Area Organiser, where you will have the responsibility for coordinating the Poppy Appeal in your area.

Stories from The Falklands

From those who served in the Falklands War to families who lost loved ones, read the stories of those who were there. Find out how their lives were affected by the conflict.

Making our poppies

Poppy production involves a lot of cutting, pressing, mounting and shaping. But how exactly is it all done?