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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be annoyed about the blingy poppies?

74 replies

tracypenisbeaker · 04/11/2013 20:23

At first, I thought it was a good idea that they were available, as they may encourage more donations and younger people may be drawn to them, thus creating more awareness, which can only be a good thing. Plus people would be donating a larger chunk of money at a time if they wanted to.

But having seen an article about them, I was pretty shocked to see that a 'Kleshna poppy brooch,' which retails for £49.99, donates just £7.49 of this to the British Legion! I'm shocked, if I was to pay this much for a brooch, I would have thought a bit more would be going to them than that! That just proves that they're more of a fashion statement/ status thing than anything! The same goes for the poppy earrings, a tenner for them, just £3.33 going to the cause... Well I for one would rather just pay £2 (which is near enough the price of the earrings) for the paper poppy, which is low cost to produce in high volumes but still shows the same sentiment.

What do you think?

OP posts:

Original poster

tracypenisbeaker · 04/11/2013 20:25

...Plus, with a paper poppy you would get a new one each year, so even though they don't outlive the earrings by a long shot, more money would be donated.

OP posts:

Justforlaughs · 04/11/2013 20:26

YANBU - not much else to say. I agree with everything you said

Gryffindor · 04/11/2013 20:27

Yanb at all u

Totally agree

scaevola · 04/11/2013 20:28

The British Legion sell them (along with quite a lot of other poppy jewellery and accessories), so it is possible to ignore an organisation trading on the "Poppy" name, but still have the bling approach to Rembrance if you want to.

How people choose to give to whichever charity they like is up to them. I'm just glad people do.

scaevola · 04/11/2013 20:30

RBL online shop here

SkinnybitchWannabe · 04/11/2013 20:31

YANBU! Totally agree.
I saw a lovely bracelet that had the pink breast cancer bow on..it was £6 but only £1 got donated.
I would rather give the money straight to the charities..like the ex servicemen and ladies selling poppies.

MrsDavidBowie · 04/11/2013 20:31

I have a small blingy poppy and a pin one, both from the British Legion, and 100% goes to the charity.
I also buy paper ones, so I have a poppy on every coat.

LtEveDallas · 04/11/2013 20:31

As long as some of the money goes to the RBL, then I don't really care how much.

My worry would be that donations for paper/material poppies will dry up if people buy the 'bling' ones and only ever wear that one.

I have the lapel pin every year and still buy paper poppies but would consider a 'bling' one for special occasions, rather than just the church service.

Sallystyle · 04/11/2013 20:32

I love my blingy poppy.

I buy paper ones too.

YABU.

Sallystyle · 04/11/2013 20:33

I need to go back to bed.

I skimmed the OP, never usually do that but very sick

YANBU

Justforlaughs · 04/11/2013 20:35

I suppose that the main thing is that the customer is made aware of how much money is donated from an item. It's very bad if it isn;t made clear.
On a slightly different note, when you use the cashpoint at some of the supermarkets they state that "every time you use this cash point, we donate" did you know that for every transaction 0.0125p gets donated! ie. 80 transactions = 1p donation!

Meglet · 04/11/2013 20:35

I always lose the paper ones by the time I get to the end of the street, my handbag / scarf / kids must knock it off. So I buy another 2 or 3 over the week, which are also lost within minutes.

This year I'm going to buy a decent metal one with a proper clasp so I don't lose it. But I'd always buy a new one each year.

yegodsandlittlefishes · 04/11/2013 20:36

I'll always get a paper one. Had a lovely veteran hand me mine last year, apologising for not being allowed to pin it on my coat as it's against health and safety! We shared a laugh that he was 'allowed' to serve on the battle field under fire (he did) but couldn't risk handling a pin!

Tilly333 · 04/11/2013 20:36

I bought one last year online from the British Legion (a blingy one) it cost me £18 - and I saw it as 18 years worth of donation in one go upfront. (and I'll probably lose it somewhere along the line!), It eventually got delivered 2 weeks late - so I bought a paper one anyway spending another quid.
I wear my (bling) poppy with pride and have donated all to the correct cause, so am happy.
I know some retailers are making money which is unfair - I think they ought to be named and shamed and clearly show how much goes to the charity 'IN LARGE LETTERS' on the display. This should be the case for all donations in for any charity i.e. % for admin, % for advertising etc. etc. - this would help us all make an informed choice on whether to donate or not.
Anyone agree?

Original poster

tracypenisbeaker · 04/11/2013 21:48

Tilly333 but the 18 pounds poppy you bought isnt actually 18 years worth- maybe a fiver of that would go to the charity. However if you bought a paper poppy every year, for say a quid a pop, the charity would make far more money! I'm honestly not trying to piss on your parade, but im sure youre not the only one thinking the expensive poppy will be an investment, so to speak. They should make it more clear. I honestly dont know why they dont because the website says ALL profits go to the RBL

OP posts:

Spikeytree · 04/11/2013 21:53

I have a 'bling' poppy from the RBL for my indoor clothing, then a paper poppy on each coat and a lapel badge on my jacket.

What's the issue with that? I also buy the crosses to put on the graves of the former soldiers in my family.

SarahAndFuck · 04/11/2013 21:59

YANBU.

I saw someone wearing a crocheted one yesterday and asked about it. She said a colleague was making them and the money raised was going to Help for Heroes, not to the RBL at all.

expatinscotland · 04/11/2013 22:03

I buy them from the BL's Poppy Shop.

Original poster

tracypenisbeaker · 04/11/2013 22:04

Spikey I didnt say there was anything wrong with that. At no point in my post did I condemn people who buy both. Its great. But my concern is that people might unwittingly spend extra on the dressier/ robust poppy, thinking that because it is more expensive and longer lasting (and prettier) it is a good replacment for the paper one for a few years when its only 2 or 3 pounds more going to the cause.

OP posts:

Spikeytree · 04/11/2013 22:05

Why would the RBL sell them if they had a problem with this?

Original poster

tracypenisbeaker · 04/11/2013 22:08

Wish people would read posts instead of picking out choice words and acting like I'm slagging them off! Anyone that donates to great causes like this are good in my book, all im saying is there should be more awareness as to where the money goes/ how much is an actual donation as opposed to materials/ admin/ manufacturing costs. Im all about transparency!

OP posts:

Spikeytree · 04/11/2013 22:10

You assume we are all a bit thick and didn't do our research first?

IamInvisible · 04/11/2013 22:13

I bought a poppy ring last year, as well as 4 enamel poppy pins with the date on. I still put a tenner in the tin. DH put some money in the tin at work too.

This year I have bought 4 more enamel poppy pins, 3 poppy wrist bands, a poppy friendship bracelet and put a tenner in the tin.

Like, LtEve, as long as some money goes to the RBL I don't mind tbh.

Original poster

tracypenisbeaker · 04/11/2013 22:18

Ive not assumed anything. Just because someone didnt realise and do their research doesnt make them thick. Thats your assumption, I never said such a thing

OP posts:

Spikeytree · 04/11/2013 22:20

It is just that you are acting like this is some sort of startling revelation.

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