‘Poppy Express’ campaign raises record £25,000
Poppy seller Denis Scaife is celebrating raising a record £25,000 with the ‘Poppy Express’ in partnership with Lumo and Hull Trains.
Denis, who is originally from Bridlington, started the fundraising project 10 years ago with his wife Barbara.
It has now grown into an institution with 15 volunteers travelling on the East Coast Main Line services every year to raise money for The Royal British Legion.
The record amount raised this year is £10,000 more than the 2024 total.
During the challenge, the husband and wife team attended a special Scottish Poppy Appeal reception at Holyrood in Edinburgh. There they heard about Poppyscotland’s vital work with the Armed Forces, as well as meeting fellow fundraisers.
Denis, a former Non-Commissioned Officer (sapper) with the Corps of Royal Engineers, said: “Wow. I’m blown away by our final total for the Poppy Express this year and genuinely can’t believe we’ve raised so much money. The generosity of customers never fails to amaze us, with people kindly donating whatever they can as they travel.
“We marked our tenth anniversary this year with a very special poppy selling marathon with our friends at Lumo and Hull Trains. I’d like to thank all the rail operators’ who kindly welcome us on board every year, along with their customers who always show real kindness and support for us. Of course, we couldn’t do any of this without our amazing team of volunteers, many of whom are veterans themselves. This money will go to incredibly important causes.”
Stuart Jones, managing director of First Rail Open Access, said: “Denis and Barbara’s dedication to the Poppy Appeal embodies the very best of community spirit and we are honoured to support him in such a meaningful cause. I’d like to wish them a huge congratulations for raising such a record amount of money. Here’s to next year!”