Scotland’s singing superstar Susan Boyle visited Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Warriston yesterday to help with the dispatch of poppies ahead of the 2014 Scottish Poppy Appeal in November.Susan, a long-standing supporter of Poppyscotland, the charity that runs the annual Scottish Poppy Appeal, met the 40 veterans with disabilities who work at the factory, before helping to load some of the 5 million poppies on to vehicles for distribution to volunteers across Scotland.
Five million poppies and more than 10,000 wreaths are hand-assembled annually at the historic Factory. The poppies are then sent to Poppyscotland volunteers the length and breadth of Scotland who will ensure they are available to the public in November.
Susan, resplendent in poppy red, said: “It was a pleasure to meet the veterans who make poppies all year round for the Scottish Poppy Appeal before sending them to the many volunteers across the country. It is a fascinating process and I hope that when the poppies start to appear in our shops, schools and businesses in the coming weeks, the Scottish public will once again show their support.”
Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory Manager Charlie Pelling added: “We are delighted that Susan joined us today. The dispatch of poppies for the Appeal is an important milestone in our calendar as it marks the culmination of a year of hard work. This year we have seen a high demand for wreaths and other Remembrance items because of First World War centenary events and we expect this to continue over the next four years. Susan’s visit gave the guys a real boost.”
Information about the Factory and an online wreath ordering facility is available at www.ladyhaigspoppyfactory.org.uk