Sheffield’s annual Poppy Appeal is underway, led by a long-serving volunteer who has dedicated more than 40 years to supporting the Royal British Legion’s remembrance campaign.

Karen Plummer, who has been selling poppies since 1984 when she was 14 years old, coordinates the collection and distribution efforts across central Sheffield.

Speaking about her role, she explained the scale of the preparations that begin months before poppies appear on lapels across the city. She said: “So I’m in charge of central Sheffield, and basically what that means is I will order all the poppies and the merchandise, usually around about August time.”

“And then what we do is around the middle of October, we then start distributing all the poppies, and all the boxes, to all the different companies and the different shops. Then, just before the launch, we make sure that we’ve got all the volunteers we need to man the different stores.”

The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s largest annual fundraising campaign, supporting serving and former members of the Armed Forces and their families. The national charity produces over 30 million poppies each year, along with 100,000 wreaths and 750,000 remembrance crosses.

In 2022, the Poppy Appeal raised £42.2 million, with £36.6 million collected directly from public donations. The Royal British Legion’s total income for the financial year ending September 2024 was £160.7 million, according to figures published by the Charity Commission.

The funds raised are used to provide financial, emotional, and practical support to veterans. In Sheffield alone, it is estimated that more than 13,000 people have previously served in the Armed Forces.

Plummer added: “We always need new people. Some of our volunteers have been with us for years, but every year there’s someone who can’t do it, or who’s moved away.

“We’re always encouraging younger people to get involved- even just for a few hours makes a big difference.”