Poppy sellers to hang up collection tins

Poppy collectors are to be scaled back this year as the Royal British Legion focuses on contactless donations due to the pandemic. While collectors will still sell poppies in the run up to Nov 11, it is understood that for this year’s appeal the charity, which raises more than £50million each year for both veterans and serving military personnel, hopes to introduce “point of sale donations” with shoppers asked if they would like to round up their total to the nearest pound.

‘The safety and wellbeing of our volunteers, staff and members is paramount’

‘The Poppy Appeal 2020 is very much still going ahead and plans are well under way’

THIS year’s Poppy Appeal will be unlike any other after the Royal British Legion disclosed it would scale back street collectors and focus on contactless donations as a result of the pandemic.

While street collectors selling poppies in the run up to Nov 11 will be a familiar sight for many, it is understood that for this year’s appeal the charity is in discussions as to how it can raise money in a Covid-friendly way. The charity, which raises more than £50 million each year for both veterans and serving military personnel, hopes to introduce “point of sale donations” where shoppers pay at supermarket tills or online and will be asked if they would like to round up their total to the nearest pound.

The Daily Telegraph understands that because many poppy sellers are elderly the charity is keen to find a way to best protect them, which avoids exchanging cash between hands. A source said that technology such as cashless donations will be the focus of raising money this year.

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said it was “exploring ways to minimise the impact of Covid-19 and ensure that all activity aligns with current restrictions and social distancing guidelines”.

“While the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the ways in which we can deliver the appeal this year, the Poppy Appeal 2020 is very much still going ahead and plans are well under way.

The safety and wellbeing of our volunteers, staff and members is paramount.

“We have taken the decision to advise collectors who fall into the vulnerable category not to take part in activity on behalf of the Poppy Appeal that would expose them to any additional risks while coronavirus is still present,” they said.

The spokesman added: “Members of the Armed Forces Community are suffering significant hardship as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and we at the Royal British Legion will do everything we possibly can to support them during these difficult times.”

They added that all Poppy Appeal organisers had been “made fully aware” of the changes and that this year they would be asked “to help with wreaths and school packs”.

However, they cautioned that this was yet to be confirmed, “as schools may not want the packs”.

The organisation stressed that the Poppy Appeal was not cancelled or postponed. “We just have to conduct the appeal in a different format.”