Charity asks the public to paint a poppy pebble to mark remembrance

The Forces Employment Charity is calling on the public to show their support for Remembrance Day this year, by taking part in its national poppy pebble painting initiative.

The Poppy Pebbles project is a simple but powerful initiative that encourages schools, veterans, and the public alike, to paint a poppy on a pebble and place it on a war memorial, or headstone of a veteran, as a way of commemorating Remembrance Day.

Anyone choosing to take part in the initiative is encouraged to carry out research into identifying and even visiting local war graves, via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, finding out information about the service person buried there.

Colin Back, National Manager of Project Nova at the Forces Employment Charity who devised the initiative says: “The Poppy Pebbles project has grown exponentially over the last few years.

“We originally started the project as a way of encouraging vulnerable veterans to take part in a mindful activity during lockdown. Since then, the initiative has really captured people’s imaginations.

“Poppy Pebble Painting is now being taken up all over the country by people from all walks of life – we even have a few famous faces getting involved. It is a wonderful way to commemorate Remembrance and we hope to see more people than ever signing up to take part in this free event.”

For more information, including a free Poppy Pebbles resource pack, visit:  www.forcesemployment.org.uk and search for Poppy Pebbles 2023.

To donate to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, visit: 

www.rbl.org.uk/poppyappeal and click on ‘Donate’.