The only snag with the first run of reusable enamel badges was that the following year the RBL found income from sales dropped significantly.
If they shifted the approach to donations and educating people on the reasons why instead of producing short lived rubbish, but the volunteers in the past seemed confused at such a request to not take a poppy. They need to move with the times, as we all do.
Re The plastic Poppies, Apparantly, since 2023 they are made entirely out of paper now. Totally biodegradable. I prefer the enamel ones. Once bought the donation yearly after that, is just that. Don't need another.
Oddly my brother was head of the Poppy Appeal UK until about 18 months ago. The green aspect of the poppy was his biggest concern, anything with longevity means lower annual donations, so needs to be an unreasonably high cost. They were looking at adding poppy recycle bins etc for after use, so the poppies could be reused or remade for future years, but were finding the idea difficult to implement and a high cost for a charity. They are fully recyclable now as well. No easy solution to it really.
I know I bang on about this kind of stuff a fair bit, but I find it really dispiriting when you look around at the amount of stuff we make that doesn't really have a long term use and when you tot up everything that goes into it, is hugely damaging to our environment. And sadly, you look at recycling rates, you look at what could be recycled being put in landfill, or even worse, being sent to other countries to bury and we have major problems. If we all sat down and truly thought about what we don't need, what is a waste, what is folly, we'd cut consumption and pollution massively. Obviously that has flip sides and economic drivers outweigh ones to preserve our liveable environment. Just out of curiosity... What does the poppy appeal fund? My inlaws are in a care home for ex navy, but I'm not aware if they get any funding from such sources.
Sad to hear that. I keep mine in a odds and sods box. Bring it out when the time comes. But chuck money into the bucket/tin. Every year. Someone says the government should provide the veterans funding etc. I agree to an extent. But as with any charity. It won't happen. Limited resources dictate the amounts contributed. As with most charities I sign up for tax inclusions. Eg The government adding 20% to your donation if you pay tax. Even on material donations after sold on. (Charity shops.) lots, if not most people don't even sign up to that. It generates much more funding. Children in need emphasise that.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2n33yvypjo.amp plenty of Muslims wearing poppies here , just been on Look North
Sort of right. Except that there have been far worst threads. Hyperbole rules. Thanks to Belvedere Heritage 176, which is a vodka which promised the prominent taste of vanilla (to which I have been historically enamored), and a promiscuity beyond my control, I joined in. The Poppy and it's purchase or otherwise is completely personal and has no argument to it that produces a worthy ending. Including my own submissions. Err.....that's it. Back to the Belvedere.
Prefer the old school paper ones. I find the enamel ones to be like a fashion piece, whilst the basic paper one sits better.