Town’s poppy sellers honoured for their decades of dedication

Local heroes to be given national awards for incredible service

The “astonishing achievements” of poppy sellers in Carnoustie have been hailed by community leaders.

Carnoustie Legion chairman Davie Paton presented poppy brooches to those who have been selling poppies for the past five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years.

The local heroes who go out in all weathers included Sheona Naismith, who has been fundraising for 50 years and would not even let a knee operation knock her out of her stride.

Also recognised was Kirsty MacDonald, who has organised poppy sellers in Carnoustie for 25 years, resulting in more than £125,000 being raised for the PoppyScotland appeal.

The evening was also used to thank those from across the community who had supported the Legion branch to improve the quality of life of residents of Carnoustie, Panbride and Barry.

Sheona and Kirsty have been recommended for the President’s

Award, which was described as a “very rare distinction”. Only six people from Scotland have been selected for the award this year.

Sheona and Kirsty will receive their awards at an event at the Scottish Parliament on October 30.

Sheona started selling poppies while she was still a teenager, helping her mother-in-law in Monifieth.

She said: “I have my regular beat for poppy selling and everybody on the round knows that I will be visiting them.

“In fact they look forward to seeing me and to contributing to PoppyScotland.

“A year ago, I thought that I might have to give up but now, with my new knee, it is business as usual again.”

Every year, Kirsty orders 5,000 poppies from the Lady Haig factory in Edinburgh and collects them herself.

“I make sure all my sellers get their poppy boxes and collecting cans and they have the area of the town that they collect in,” she said. “And of course, we have our usual collecting points in the Co-Op, Spar and at the war memorial.”

Mr Paton added: “Every year PoppyScotland publishes the figures of the amount collected in towns and villages across Scotland, and Carnoustie consistently punches above its weight.

“That says a lot about the organisation and dedication of our all poppy sellers like Kirsty and Sheona.”

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I thought that I might have to give up but now, with my new knee, it is business as usual again

Picture: Kris Miller. Kirsty MacDonald and Sheona Naismith are familiar faces in Carnoustie.