Royal British Legion launches centenary poppy appeal

The annual Poppy Appeal has been launched with art installations revealed around the UK to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Oct 2018, 12:46 BST
Updated 25th Oct 2018, 14:25 BST
(left to right) Claire Rowcliffe, Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising, WWII veteran Barbara Weatherill, 93, Prime Minister Theresa May and fundraiser Poppy Railton, 9, outside 10 Downing Street, London as the Prime Minister makes a donation to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and receives her poppy.(left to right) Claire Rowcliffe, Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising, WWII veteran Barbara Weatherill, 93, Prime Minister Theresa May and fundraiser Poppy Railton, 9, outside 10 Downing Street, London as the Prime Minister makes a donation to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and receives her poppy.
(left to right) Claire Rowcliffe, Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising, WWII veteran Barbara Weatherill, 93, Prime Minister Theresa May and fundraiser Poppy Railton, 9, outside 10 Downing Street, London as the Prime Minister makes a donation to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and receives her poppy.

Sunday November 11 marks 100 years since the end of the First World War, and thousands of volunteers will help sell and distribute paper poppies in the following days.

Founded in 1921, the Poppy Appeal raises funds for servicemen and women and their families.

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A six-metre-high poppy installation was unveiled at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich to mark the launch of the charity campaign and say thank you to the First World War generation.

left to right) Claire Rowcliffe, Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising, WWII veteran Barbara Weatherill, 93, Prime Minister Theresa May and fundraiser Poppy Railton, 9, outside 10 Downing Street, London as the Prime Minister makes a donation to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and receives her poppy.left to right) Claire Rowcliffe, Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising, WWII veteran Barbara Weatherill, 93, Prime Minister Theresa May and fundraiser Poppy Railton, 9, outside 10 Downing Street, London as the Prime Minister makes a donation to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and receives her poppy.
left to right) Claire Rowcliffe, Royal British Legion Director of Fundraising, WWII veteran Barbara Weatherill, 93, Prime Minister Theresa May and fundraiser Poppy Railton, 9, outside 10 Downing Street, London as the Prime Minister makes a donation to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal and receives her poppy.

Smaller artworks were revealed at a number of locations, including Downing Street, Brighton Pavilion, the Library of Birmingham, and Ballyclare Football Club in Co Antrim.

The installations will remain in place until Monday.

The Prime Minister gave her support to the appeal on Thursday morning, buying a poppy at 10 Downing Street.

In 2015, more than 11 million poppies were made at the Royal British Legion's "Poppy Factory" in London.

A total of 1.1 million "remembrance symbols" and 135,000 wreaths were also made at the Richmond site.

Related topics:Royal British LegionPrime MinisterDowning Street