Royal British Legion new plastic-free poppy in Lincolnshire

The Royal British Legion launches its 2023 Poppy Appeal today (Thursday October 26), with the public able to get hold of its newly designed plastic-free poppy for the first time.
Sleaford veteran and Invictus games medallist David Argyle with the new plastic-free poppy.Sleaford veteran and Invictus games medallist David Argyle with the new plastic-free poppy.
Sleaford veteran and Invictus games medallist David Argyle with the new plastic-free poppy.

Fifty-year-old RAF veteran David Argyle from Sleaford, is one of the first people to wear the new poppy, which is completely recyclable.

This year’s plastic-free poppy is the first redesign of the iconic symbol of Remembrance in a generation and is the latest in a series of designs since the poppy was first used to raise funds in 1921.

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The plastic-free poppy is made from 100 per cent paper and easily recycled in household collections. The innovative new poppy design features the iconic poppy shape, with a black centre embossed with ‘Poppy Appeal’, and a leaf with a crease. It no longer has a plastic stem or centre, and it can be fastened with a pin in the stem, worn in a buttonhole, or a stick-on version is available.

The new, plastic-free poppy has taken three years to develop.The new, plastic-free poppy has taken three years to develop.
The new, plastic-free poppy has taken three years to develop.

The Royal British Legion has been developing the plastic-free poppy for the past three years, in collaboration with expert partners, as it works to reduce its use of single-use plastic and be economical, sustainable, and less impactful to the environment.

It has been created from bespoke red and green paper produced from a blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources, 50 per cent of which come from the offcuts created during the production of paper coffee cups.

Former Weapons Engineering Technician, David Argyle, recently returned from the Invictus Games, where he collected two medals. He was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans and osteoarthritis in the later stage of his

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military career, which eventually led to his medical discharge. He was later diagnosed with depressive disorder and fibromyalgia.

The Royal British Legion is launching it Poppy Appeal 2023.The Royal British Legion is launching it Poppy Appeal 2023.
The Royal British Legion is launching it Poppy Appeal 2023.

Turning his life experiences into a positive, and keen to help others, Dave is now an Assistant Practitioner in Lincolnshire’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Learning Disabilities Team (CAMHS LD), supporting

young people with learning disabilities who are experiencing poor mental health. He also enjoys playing wheelchair basketball, which is where he heard about the opportunity to take part in the Invictus Games.

David said: “The Poppy Appeal means everything to me, because it gave me the opportunity to represent Team UK at the Invictus Games as part of my recovery. I love the new plastic-free version, but while the poppies have

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changed, the meaning stays the same. Wearing your poppy shows you care, and that the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces community will never be forgotten."

The launch of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal marks the start of the national period of Remembrance, when the nation wears the poppy and reflects on the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces.

Members of the public will be able to get their poppy – the original version or the new plastic-free version - from thousands of volunteers across the UK, or from major supermarkets.

All funds raised from the Poppy Appeal will be used by Royal British Legion to support serving personnel, veterans, and their families in a range of ways, from help with the cost of living, mental wellbeing and housing, to support with recovery after trauma or illness.

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Director of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, Andy Taylor-Whyte said: “We want to encourage as many people as possible to get a poppy this year and show their gratitude and support to those in the Armed Forces whose service and sacrifice should never be forgotten.

"We’re so proud that this year, we have our new plastic-free poppy too, so that the public can wear this poignant symbol of Remembrance, with less impact on the environment.

“Since the first Poppy Appeal in 1921 to today, public donations have provided a lifeline for service people and their families, and last year, we helped more than 27,000 people in the Armed Forces community.

“As a veteran myself, I am grateful to the public for giving what they can to support the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal this year. Donations enable us to support the Armed Forces community past and present, all year

round, and shows them that wearing a poppy shows you care.”

To find out more or to donate to the Poppy Appeal please visit rbl.org.uk