Scottish Poppy Appeal launches in Edinburgh with tales from the charity's local beneficiaries and volunteers
Edinburgh launch for 2026 Scottish Poppy Appeal
Local people whose lives have been changed by Poppy Scotland gathered in Edinburgh for the launch of this year’s poppy appeal.
The launch event at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory on Logie Green Road brought together direct beneficiaries of the armed forces charity's life-changing services alongside the appeal's youngest volunteer.
Former army chaplain Reverend Peter Meager, from Edinburgh, turned to Poppy Scotland’s Admiral Nurse service as his wife Christine’s Alzheimer’s became harder to manage.
Admiral Nurse Kath arranged treatment, respite, and care support, while helping Peter navigate the condition and access vital mental health support as a carer.
Peter said: “I had looked after her for about eight years, then my own health started to take a turn, my mental and physical health.
“Poppy Scotland were a life-saver, they took care of everything, providing specialist support. It gave me a break and was just such a relief. They helped us through such a difficult time.
“And when my wife had to go into a specialist care home, they drew up a care plan for her. I had no idea what to do, but they took care of everything. Giving her what she needed.
“My wife was treated with respect and dignity, receiving all the medical treatment and care she needed at the end of her life, before she died two years ago.
“I would have gone under if it hadn’t been for the support of Poppy Scotland, as I was at a really low ebb, but they were there for my wife and I when we needed them most.”
Former military police officer Derek Loughran, from Bathgate, sustained injuries on active duty around eight years ago that left him with severe hip and knee pain.
Poppy Scotland provided a state-of-the-art treadmill to aid his physical recovery, an intervention he describes as “life-changing” that directly made his return to work possible.
He said: “It might sound a bit mad, but that treadmill changed my life. I started with 10-15 minutes on it a day while waiting on a hip replacement, building that up as I went.
“Within a year or so I was back out playing golf. Which I would have never thought possible before I got the treadmill from the charity.
“As not only was my physical health in a bad way, I was struggling with my mental health too, as I believe the two are linked.
“The treadmill not only built up my strength again but also my confidence, making me feel so much better about myself and getting me back out there meeting people again, instead of hiding away at home.”
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This year’s Scottish Poppy Appeal theme is “When someone serves in the Armed Forces, their family serves too”, which is true for Derek and his family, with his health issues impacting them also.
His wife Amy-Jane added: “We have watched his struggles, and now to see him out playing golf again is brilliant for us. We are so thankful to the charity for all their help.”
Also at the launch was Poppy Scotland’s youngest volunteer, Ava Mitchell, 11, from Neilston, who has supported the Poppy Appeal since she was five years old, inspired by her auntie, whose father was an army veteran, and she passed on all his stories to her niece.
Ava said: “I have been selling poppies and pin badges for a few years now and I still really enjoy doing it. And I will keep doing it for as long as I can.”