Veterans selling poppies on Northern trains say support from passengers has been 'heartwarming'
Veterans who have been selling poppies on Northern trains say it has been “humbling and heartwarming” to receive so much support from passengers.
Andrew Wall, 59, and Pete Bolton, 76, who both served in the Royal Navy, are part of a team of 15 volunteers taking part in the Poppy Express.
It is an annual fundraising project which raises money for the Royal British Legion – a charity that provides support to Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families.
The two veterans are encouraging passengers travelling on trains in Yorkshire to make donations ahead of Remembrance Day, on Wednesday, 11 November.
Andrew, who served in the Royal Navy for 33 years, said he wanted to raise funds for the charity after it helped him “make the transition back to civilian life”.
He said: “The reaction on board has been very positive, from the small children wanting to know what the poppy means, to the older generation with family that served in the Second World War, and the veterans who share stories about their service. It’s very humbling and heartwarming.
“The train is great because we have a captive audience, but we don’t force people into buying poppies. There’s no need for that because the poppy sells itself.
“We ask people to give whatever they can afford. It all goes to a really good cause – helping veterans and their families.”
Pete Bolton, who served in the Royal Navy for two years, said: “We’ve met some very generous people with great stories to share about their service or relatives who have served.
“The Legion is fantastic because it looks after veterans and their families, but they need the funding to do this important work.
“On Remembrance Day, it’s important to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice but also help the veterans who made it home.
“I would urge everyone to make a donation, no matter how small, to help such a worthwhile cause. Every penny counts.”
Army veteran Denis Scaife, 75, and his wife Barbara, 76, who are both from East Yorkshire, launched the Poppy Express 11 years ago.
He said: “I used to sit in a cold supermarket in Retford with people ignoring me, so I wrote to the train companies and they were more than willing to help us raise money.
“We get a really good reception on the trains, especially when they’re busy, and last year we raised £38,000 in three weeks.”
Last week, the couple travelled more than 1,200 miles by train, between London, Hull and Stirling in Scotland, to raise thousands of pounds.
“We were very tired at the end of it,” said Denis. “We’re both in our 70s and not spring chickens anymore, but we never wane.
“We’ve got a lot of veterans who need help. We are losing too many to suicide and mental health problems. We have a lot of people who are homeless and a lot of people living with medical conditions after serving in various military campaigns.”
Northern is one of the train operators offering free rail travel to serving military personnel and veterans attending services of remembrance across the UK on Sunday, 8 November.
Next week, Northern staff will be attending services held at 12 railway stations with war memorials, including Manchester Victoria, Sheffield and Hull, to pay their respects and lay poppy wreaths.
They will also join the Railway Industry Remembrance Service in York on Wednesday, 11 November.
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.