As The Royal British Legion’s leading supermarket partner, once again Poppy Appeal collectors will be at Sainsbury’s Fosse Park from Friday 3 November to (insert date) raising funds for The Royal British Legion, the nation’s biggest Armed Forces charity.
Sainsbury’s customers will be able to donate those old £1 coins they’ve got tucked down the back of sofas or hidden away in their piggy banks as Poppy collectors will be accepting the old one pound coin which is no longer in circulation.
The supermarket was also delighted to welcome local MP Alberto Costa into Fosse Park this Friday, to help raise funds and awareness for this worthy cause.
There will be Poppy inspired products on sale in store, with all profits going to The Royal British Legion. The range will include two Poppy jute bags, a tote bag, a travel coffee cup, two Poppy mug designs, a tea towel, a key ring, a candle, poppy seeds and two flower bouquets. Customers shopping online from 1 - 12 November can order a stick on Poppy in return for a £1 donation to The Royal British Legion.
This year Sainsbury’s is also supporting the Centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele through sales of a commemorative pin badge.
Sainsbury’s has supported The Royal British Legion for the last 23 years, and in 2016 customers and colleagues helped raise over £3.2 million for the charity.
During the 2017 Poppy Appeal, The Royal British Legion is again inviting the nation to ‘rethink Remembrance’ and re-consider the meaning of the poppy as a symbol of both Remembrance and hope.
Paul Wain, Store Manager at Sainsbury’s Fosse Park, said: “We really get behind the Poppy Appeal each year and our customers and colleagues continue to dig deep to help us raise as much as we can for the charity. We’re really excited to welcome the collectors in store this year and look forward to all the activities we have planned to help this fantastic cause.”
Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, added: “I am very proud to support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, and very grateful to Sainsbury’s for their kind invitation to join them and their customers in raising funds for this incredibly important cause. I am aware of the excellent work the Royal British Legion do both in both my constituency of South Leicestershire and of course the wider country, and it’s great to see the charitable nature of both Sainsbury’s and their customers”.
Ben France, Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Royal British Legion said: “We’re extremely grateful to Sainsbury’s colleagues and customers for their support over the last 23 years. The Legion’s vital work is made possible thanks to the public’s generous support – so please wear your poppy with pride, knowing that you are helping to support our Armed Forces community and ensure their unique contribution is never forgotten.”
The Legion offers support and advice to the Armed Forces community in key areas such as; finance, care, recovery, Independent Living, respite and employment. In the last year the generosity of the British public helped the charity answer more than 1,077,000 requests for help.
After Armistice Day, customers can also choose to recycle their poppies in store. A recycling collection point will be in place from 13 - 30 November. All collected poppies will go back to The Royal British Legion to either help make new poppies or be recycled.
Alberto is pictured above with (from L – R) Royal British Legion Croft & District Branch Member, Mr Brian Thomas, Sainsbury’s Fosse Park Store Manager, Mr Paul Wain, and Royal British Legion Croft & District Branch Member, Mr Roger Palmer.