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?

Uncontrol

RBL support with:

Epvs (scooters), wheelchairs and stair lifts
Home adaptations such as ramps and wet rooms
Priority debt
Rent and bond
Clothing
Food
White goods/brown goods
Carpets
Retrainingg for example obtainig hgv or plumbing qualification
War pension tribunals
Benefit tribunals
Home repairs such as new boilers
Items for children
Employement courses
Travel costs to job interviews or combat stress appointments
Bankruptcy fees
DRO fees
UK holidays
They have 6 care homes
Handy man service
Befriending service
Funeral costs

The above does not include all events around rememberance.

Bubble

Have pm'd you, apologies for presuming you were the poster who called me a liar.
Your posting styles are similar, but no reason for me to jump to conclusions

I wonder why, when there is the will to send services personnel into conflicts, there is not the same will to provide them with care afterwards

The RBL don't just help veterans or those who have been injured. They will help serving personel and their families, and they will help families of veterans alive or dead whether they've been to war or not.

But by supporting every veteran ever, they're supporting every conflict ever, indirectly. Doesn't sit right with me.

So what your actually saying is no veteran deserve support.

The majority of those things on your list should surely be provided by the government- why must it fall to a charity to provide wheelchairs or home adaptations?

why does the government not provide training so that service personnel can find employment- I had thought that this was one of the draws of service, that you could learn a trade/become qualified in a field

I wonder to what extent funding these charities enables the government to shirk its responsibility towards service personnel

not like they'd pick up the slack if the charities folded, mind

it just seems wrong

if the services they provide are necessary, government should fund them

I'm always amazed how little is given to charity on charity items. Ie. If crisps, cereals, burgers donate money to charity, you often find that it's under 50p per item. I'd rather just donate that amount (or more).

I had thought that this was one of the draws of service, that you could learn a trade/become qualified in a field

It is in lots of cases - people who capbadge to a Corps learn a trade - from Bookkeepers to Plumbers to Doctors to Mechanics and so on. But if you join an Infantry or Armoured Regiment then your 'trade' is soldier. Not much call for blokes that can drive tanks in civvy street!

You do get Resettlement - but that's only 6 weeks, so a limit to what you can learn to do.

And you aren't wrong - out Government SHOULD be doing more. But they aren't, so...

The RBL are constantly trying to get the MOD and the goverment to step up.

It was RBL that pushed for the community covenant that rach local council has now signed up for.

RBL was 95 years old in May and was started because the goverment did nothing to help the men who served in WW1 or the families left behind and it is still supporting them.

The government does provide wheelchairs etc for personnel who require them as a result of an attributable injury of condition.

RBL and other charities will provide ones for those who need them later for any reason, or if - once discharged from the military and on the NHS veterans' track - the NHS will only supply one of lower quality than the person is used to.

Bit baffled about the idea suggested by a pp that people can choose which wars to fight in these days- DH is ex-RAF. He left after serving in Iraq and Afghan (as he didn't agree with the politics)-having joined as a better alternative to a 1980s dole queue when those scenarios were nowhere on the horizon. If you are in you do what you are told or go to military gaol. It takes a minimum 6-12 months to get premature voluntary release. There are other factors too involved in this 'choice', like needing to house and support your family.

SSAFA started to provide additional assistance to veterans after the Boer War.

It's always been a bit 'Tommy this and Tommy that'

And of course it's absolutely fine not to support the Poppy Appeal for whatever reason matters to you. H4H was made fashionable by The Sun a few years ago and I think that was counter-productive.

I happen to support much of what military charities - particularly SSAFA - do, but deplore some of the public rhetoric about it.

It would be extremely rash to assume the government funds adequate support for disabled ex-servicemen and women. Social services help is appallingly badly funded throughout the country, there isn't a separate pot of money for those who have been in the services.

When funded by MoD, the care is (usually) very good. When transferred out to civilian provision, they receive the same care as everyone else (with priority access in a few areas).

Charities provide things above that level. As do the benevolent funds for other occupations.

Why does anyone need to make alternatives to normal poppies? Just buy a poppy and be done with it. Knitted, glittery etc are bollocks.

Help for Heroes is a fantastic charity. My brother was blown up in Afganistan, he lost both legs and an arm. The charity has given him lots of support and help.
Any soldier who has had rehab at Headley Court will have used facilities and services paid for with help for heroes money, such as the pool and gym.
If you have a personal reason to support a charity you'll see it as very important and worthwhile.

Point of detail - Headley Court had both a therapy pool and a gym before the H4H initiative.

And of course as DMRC is moving, the H4H facilities (for which they do not pay the running costs) look ever more like a white elephant.