to think that if you sell poppy related products, you give ALL the money to charity?

[DrSeuss]

Not just 20%?

A local FB selling page has someone selling crystal poppy brooches, stating that 20% goes to the RBL. I commented that I disliked anyone profiting from the sale of poppies apart from the RBL or Help for Heroes. Seller responds that he is giving more than many high street stores, e.g. Marks and Spencer's. This may be true but IMHO, neither he nor any other commercial enterprise should be making money from poppies.

I have previously made crochet poppies but gave every penny to the RBL. I didn't even take out money for materials. AIBU to find making money for yourself in this way wrong?

[BackforGood]

I think you should be able to take expenses if you need to - say if you were making the crocheted of knitted poppies - but other than that, I agree with you.
I suppose everyone has the choice to only buy directly from the British Legion, or people they know and trust will donate all monies to the BL.

[mpsw]

Proceeds from Poppies should go entirely to RBL.

If HelpForHeroes are muscling in on this, they are breaking the agreement that all other military charities scale back their high-profile campaigns during the official Poppy weeks and it's very shabby of them.

But it does seem to be the norm for other retailers to give only a %age.

If you would rather be sure all goes to RBL, you can shop online with them

www.poppyshop.org.uk

[Floggingmolly]

Totally agree, op. Of all things to try to make a fast buck from, this has to be the most distasteful.

[Dizzybintess]

I sell poppy embroidered badges for my business mainly to scouts and guides. We take the costs from the badges and a little profit for the immense amount of hard work that goes into packaging and processing the orders and then we send a nice cheque to the RBL.
Our badges have been OKd by the legion and they are a good way to get kids to attend parade and make them aware of it all!

[OutDamnedWind]

Agree OP. The poppy is very recognisable as RBL, and I find it poor taste for others to profit from that.

[DrSeuss]

A friend made poppies and sent the money to Help for Heroes. I don't think they sell poppies themselves.

[MrsJayy]

I thinking if you are selling poppies then the money should go to the charity 20% is really stingy,

[Ice3]

I got a crystal one a few years ago from the official British Legion shop. I don't see why people need to buy them from FB sellers anyway. They aren't hard to find.

[DrSeuss]

Dizzy- that's different. You have the Legion's permission, it's done for honourable reasons and I bet you don't take 80% profit!

[WaxingNinja]

More fool anyone that buys from some randomer on FB who claims that any of the money goes to the BL.

If you want to support the charity the give the money to the BL directly.

Personally I really dislike those crystal encrusted poppies, I dunno, I can't explain it really but they seem more about the wearer showing off than actually supporting the charity.

[OurBlanche]

We too make and sell poppy badges. We take our expenses from the proceeds, we also used to take enough to cover a minibus to the nearest wreath laying and a 'Remembrance Tea' for our clients and those who gave up their time, transport, shop space to support us.

But someone complained that we were profiteering, so now we don't always have the money to do either!

Sometimes the reason behind poppy making goes beyond the poppies. Other times the poppy makers can't afford to do it for free. The RBL are happy with this!

[AuntieStella]

Poppies are RBL.

Not Help for Heroes.

I am aghast that people are putting two such different charities together, and essentially ripping off one.

[Slightlyperturbedowlagain]

I think that all profits should go to the RBL. If a sole-trader is hand-crafting the items then it might be reasonable to include some cost for the time spent as well as material costs, (presumably M&S doesn't expect the factory makers to work for nothing either) but transparency is the important thing so that people can make an informed choice. Personally I think it's best just to make a donation.

[HmmmmBop]

I believe that RBL send money to H4H. I went to look round one of H4H places and I'm sure they said that.

[Dizzybintess]

Thanks xx we don't keep 80% for definite we calculate ours year to year based on the amount of hours we have put into it and the amount of Advertising we have had to pay for too. We have done it for years and the legion always appreciate our donation.

The crystal ones to me negate the tradition of buying a new one every year in support.

[DrSeuss]

This person is not making the poppies, they are the same as ones I saw on ebay! And it wouldn't hurt businesses such as M&S to absorb the costs, either.

[Floggingmolly]

But is anybody actually asking the poppy makers to do it for free, OurBlanche? They have a factory in Richmond employing mainly (or solely) disabled people.
I imagine they can supply the market without help from outside...

[TheFairyCaravan]

This is why I won't buy poppies from anywhere other than the RBL or the poppy shop.

I really, really dislike H4H and won't buy anything that comes from there or supports them.

[MrsJayy]

I bought a crochet poppy for dd 2 years ago was lovely the seller gave all money to rbl
I also bought something from poppy scotland which is a slightly different poppy just to keep balance.

[OurBlanche]

Did you see the part of my post where I mentioned someone having complained about us using a small amount of our profits to take our clients (old, disabled, lonely) to a wreath laying and having a tea to remember both their lost friends and the support form the wider community?

We all make the poppy products. The client group is a wide ranging collection of vulnerable adults. And yes, someone complained, so now they make the poppies for free. We (a small, local, community based charity) still recoup our expenses, but not electricity, staffing, etc for the poppy making sessions, and still we get asked to justify ourselves!

Why? Well, in our case I suspect a local 'personage' is using this as her latest reason to disband us and subsume our goodwill and volunteers into her church based group.

I am not arguing that people should make profit from poppies, just pointing out that the RBL is supportive of a lot of groups/individuals who make different poppy products.

[ItsJustNotRight]

I thought you were talking opium here ..

[BowieFan]

We don't do poppies anyway because both me and DP have had awful experiences with the Legion (DP is RAF, my granddad was army).

But yes, the money should go to them if you're going to sell them.

[Slightlyperturbedowlagain]

OurBlanche to me that would seem fair enough, but again I guess the key is transparency so people know 'up-front'. (I would be happy with the scenario you describe, but not funding a disproportionately expensive 'glitzy' do for volunteers.) Stating this sort of thing clearly at the point of sale would also take away the possibility of someone else capitalising on it for their own reasons too maybe?

[YuckYuckEwwww]

I bet you don't take 80% profit!

If you think giving 20% to charity leaves 80% profit, then you don't understand what the word profit means OP!

giving 20% might mean giving 100% of the profit

[Perfectlypurple]

Agree. Which has reminded me I must order a poppy from the RBL.