Will you be wearing a poppy?

[thingsthatmakeyougohmmmmmmmm]

To support the work that the Royal British Legion do.

Nobody around here seems to be wearing one.

No, I don't even think about it.

My great uncle was a conscious objector and he was a fire fighter in London.
He said he was willing to do anything that involved saving lives.

No! Have a look at what the RBL spend their money on. £39.2m (nearly as much as was made in the Poppy appeal last year) for 6 care homes with fewer than 500 beds in total. You don't even need to have fought in a conflict to be in one, only on the payroll for 1 or more day (or spouse or dependent of). That's £80k per resident per year and the fees are £1200 per week, so doubt the LA would pay, so only for those that can afford to self-fund.

Average cost of a care home in the UK (according to Which?, rounded) is £710 - £950 a week (varies by region) but if it's full nursing care then it's more £950 - £1290, and some dementia care can be even higher.

So depending on what level of care provided, and where in the country, those fees sound pretty typical. No idea how the standards/facilities compare.

IIRC, qualifying service includes National Service, so the potentially eligible population is still fairly large.

Average size of a care home in UK is 20 residents (only 10% have more than 50), so if RBL has 500 places in 6 homes (average 83), then they are large providers.

@jazzyfips
**
So you’re claiming I lack common sense as I definitely think the poppy is politicised. I’ve served in the forces as have several of my family and i have every right to my opinion that is backed up with evidence from my time in the RAF and civvy street.”

Actually you’re right. My statement was ill-thought out and misjudged and I was looking at the argument purely from my point of view. Ie: Family members who also served, both World Wars, Korea, Aden, NI. None of them feel the poppy is politicised but a strong symbol that denotes nothing but respect to all those who served/are serving.

Of course, you’re completely entitled to a different opinion and very probably don’t lack common sense. I apologise.

Eh, @MrsSkylerWhite that's far too classy a response for MN. Against talk guidelines surely!

I think the MN guidance is that it's OK in Chat but would get you banned in AIBU.

I think we could all take lessons from you @MrsSkylerWhite.

I'll buy one, but I wont wear it because I dont wear anything ever, no badges brooches lanyards bracelets etc.

Regardless of however the support of the poppy is perceived in 2023, my grandfather served and his brothers all died in ww2 so I'll buy one and remember the lives that were given up.

@MrsSkylerWhite - I salute you. What a lovely, thoughtful post. Very unlike MN!

I’ll be wearing mine with pride. Both my grandfathers fought in WW1 and both my parents fought in WW2. DH was in the armed forces, and his father too fought in WW2. Although I support the right of everyone to make their own decisions, and not to wear one if they think that’s best.

I haven't seen any poppies for sale yet this year.

I haven't seen anyone wearing one. of any age. My parents are late 70s and they haven't got any. No parents on the school run, no teachers, no colleagues.

Strange!

@truroballbag tbey are being sold by the doors in every supermarket I’ve been in . Just back from a retail park and they were being sold there too.

@43ontherocksporfavor I was in Sainsburys last night and Waitrose today - nothing. I'll keep an eye out though. They must be somewhere around! 😊

I was Morrisons and Sainsbury’s today and they both had a small table/ stall.

I don't wear one as I'm Irish anyway. But honestly, I find this time of the year a little bit uncomfortable.

All those who 'don't like to get involved' or 'don't like to talk about politics' suddenly get hysterical about the poppy and "never forget". I just want to scream "dude, your pm is literally endorsing the killing of thousands of children as we speak. Your home secretary is calling peaceful protests 'hate marches'. Respectfully, you have already forgotten!"

And yes, what the PM says and does is in your name.

And yes, what the PM says and does is in your name.

It really isn’t. The majority of us didn’t even vote for his party.

Well said

Sadly I know this. However as long as he's in the job, he speaks for the country. If the majority do not agree, where are all the protests? Where hare the people demanding their mp take action? There is far too much apathy, so nothing will change

What’s the point of demanding your MP takes action if they’re a Tory? Obviously things will change when there’s a general election - as long as people get out there and vote.

Why would you take a screenshot of something you find triggering? 😳

I'm wearing an animals in war poppy.

Yes I will be wearing my poppy proudly, my great uncle died in France (WW1) he was very young, my grandfather went to another village to try to enlist too as he was underage but ( luckily) got found out and sent back home.
My grandfather named his first born son after his brother who never got to live an adult life, but he never mentioned him or what happened to him again because he said it was just too painful. I never want my great uncle forgotten.

Who will people vote for though if they want a change? Starmer does not oppose Tory policies on current foreign affairs. The British people need to realise and accept that the British political system is broken.

It is just a myth that the election will change anything. Sadly Britain is in a dark place at the moment, and there are many red flags and warnings from previous wars that are not being heeded. It is very worrying that Sunak and Suella can endorse any foreign war they want and people think its OK because there is an election next year. I would suspect that the majority of people in Britain do not want to be involved with the middle East right now. Though there is a responsibility for sure because of the history. This responsibility should be to press for peace.

Sorry, this is not a dig at you personally. Just a cry of frustration!

Regardless of whether the British army came to support catholics, history says they did anything but.

Them being there made peace untenable. It was only when they left that peace could be secured.

I remember being a little girl at the side of the road with their guns pointed at me, as they took our car apart and quizzed my parents about where we were going... as we went to do our food shop 🙄 things like this stay with you! Thankfully I didn't experience the worst of what people experienced... but I can't help but remember things like that when people tell me I should wear a poppy.

Well, this year instead of giving to the RBL I've made my donation to PTSD UK. Not only will this help traumatised veterens, without ramping up the 'hero' rhetoric, but also the many women who have been victims of sexual violence.

It's a cause which matters to me.

In place of the poppy I shall wear a beautiful little silver dove of peace brooch.

There are many different means of marking respect in our own personal ways. I will not be told, by anyone, how I am and am not 'permitted' to do this.

And if I felt so inclined as to ignore the whole shebang, I'd do precisely that.

@HelenHen I'm sorry you've had such terrifying experiences. The more recent scenes of the Holy Cross Primary School were heartbreaking: little children persecuted for a cause they are too young even to understand.

No one is beholden to others' views as to what they 'should' do; or, for that matter, have to explain their reasons.