Can someone recommend shops that sell paper poppies because I can’t seem to find in some shops?
Most supermarkets will start to have them over the next week.
I’ve found Greggs and Co-Ops tend to be fairly early on.
You don’t need a specific paper poppy. Both the old style plastic ones and paper ones are being sold by the Poppy Appeal this year.
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Apparently I need one this Friday
If your sqn has so specified, then they should give guidance. As in other topics, ask your fellow cadets first - they might know local shops / supermarkets that allow RBL poppy sellers - & local circumstances will dictate availability. This forum should NOT be your first port of call for all questions.
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You dont need to wear one if you dont want, it irritates me when its forced upon people
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this will be dependant on the local situation.
Poppy Boxes are distributed by Poppy Appeal Volunteers, and they order the number of collection boxes and poppy point of sale boxes as they deem necessary.
at my work we have a collection box and poppy stand the same is true at my wife’s work, but that doesn’t mean this is true for every place of work - it will depend on the number of employees and the likely footfall.
your best bet is to walk your local high street and check them all.
it is also unlikely that one box will sell only one type of poppy (eg only plastic or only paper). they are distributed as a mix, although what is left will be dependant on what the interest has been (ie while the box starts of 50:50, by the time you get to it, the ratio might be 70:30)
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@MikeJenvey ,
"I wasn’t down at squadron recently, and I need to get a poppy before Friday. This forum is here for us to support each other and get quick answers from a broader base of experience when local advice isn’t immediately available. If I had the option to ask someone at my squadron, I would have done that already. Telling cadets not to use the forum for questions like this misses the point of having a shared resource where we can actually help each other out, especially when time is a factor. If we can’t use this forum to get practical information when we need it, then what’s the point?
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Can you get the WO cadre to change that silly poster that says it’s compulsory?
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Do you have a Sqn Facebook group or Cadet WhatsApp group?
The only thing is that this will vary with different parts of the country and the forum is quite a varied collection of persons including some from Oz & NZ.
There’s no problems posting here, but it’s worth being aware that
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not everyone are air cadets
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most is opinion, speculations or extrapolation
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at best only general advice can be given
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sometimes it’s wrong.
It is always worth asking your fellow cadets or Sqn staff about day to day stuff as they have the most information & can advise best about what happens specifically on your area.
Happy to help guide & sign post, it’s just being aware of the caveats that you need to take
You’ve posted the question in the cadet area of the forum which is proper & please do keep posting & asking questions.
It’s just that if I say “Alan Antiques shop on the Douglas High Street is selling poppies” it probably won’t be particularly helpful despite being the exact information you ask for 
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Use your initiative & always try local options first. We don’t know where you live, so it’s rather a pointless question. With regard to use of this forum, there may be specialist areas where information is not readily available on the internet or locally - once you have done as much as you can to research the problem without success, then ask here - but please not before. The topics you have asked questions about on the forum do not fit into this category.
You must have contact options for the sqn (email) & / or other cadets - ask them. What happened last year? If they buy them, where did your parents / guardians / friends buy poppies last year - ask them? What local RBL advertising / social media points you to specific local options - have you looked? Have you for example 'phoned your local supermarket (or whatever) to see when RBL are selling - ask them?
When / how were you told that you needed a poppy for Fri? That had to be direct contact from someone in your sqn? Ask them.
Initiative…
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precisely.
Someone could easily suggest going to Asda or Morrisons* but my nearest Asda is the other side of the next town across (~12 miles away) and I couldn’t tell you where my nearest Morrisons is (ok so i have taken a look and its 16 miles, or 30 minutes drive away).
hence it is pointless expecting a national (nee international) forum offering local answers.
*which just to confirm I cannot confirm or deny if they are selling poppies
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OK, so if you are in need of an enamel one (say for Greens), and can’t find one locally, the RBL now has its store on Amazon and you can get it next day if someone has a Prime account.
Otherwise, big town centre shops, railway stations, that sort of place or as others have said, ask a Sqn NCO or a mate.
We always keep a small stock on Sqn for our cadets to buy.
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I appreciate your suggestions, but they overlook the purpose of this forum. While using local options is important, it’s not always feasible—especially when cadets may not have the time or resources to research every possibility. My question isn’t pointless; it’s about finding practical information quickly, which this forum is designed to facilitate.
I was informed last year that we needed a poppy for November, and I want to ensure I’m prepared this time. I’m specifically asking which stores have sold paper poppies in the past so I know where to focus my search. Not everyone remembers where to find them, and relying solely on past contacts doesn’t account for changes each year.
I’ve already exhausted my local options without success, and contacting squadron members isn’t always easy. This community is here to share experiences and provide support, especially when time is short. It’s crucial that we leverage our collective knowledge to help each other out."
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if you are asking which brands - i would suggest “most of the household high street names” (which doesn’t really help you more than walking down your high street and looking)
if you are asking which ones on your high street - no one will know without walking down your high street
can you see where i am going with this…perhaps it is time to walk down your high street?
I mean like Morrisons, Aldi etc. more common ones
Plan ahead. You’ve had a year, now it’s a dire emergency.
You’ve had a year to look ahead (or could have bought one last year?). Now you say I need it for Fri - prior planning prevents…
As outlined, what works in one location doesn’t work in others - lack of volunteers or limited locations. We don’t know where you live - nor would that really help. 'Phone around - or walk / cycle to them if feasible - ask locally, not here.
You’ve had a year.
It’s only crucial as you haven’t used your initiative sooner to check out local options or carry out local research. Why didn’t you ask at your sqn at the start of Oct? Why the panic now?
'PHIONE THEM TO ASK!! We don’t live there, we don’t know.
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well yes - all of them…all of the “more common ones” are more than likely to be selling poppies.
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And locked. The answer is to try supermarkets, local high streets, and your local Royal British Legion.
I would also remind longer standing forum members that people are allowed to ask questions and to show patience, especially to those who appear to be cadets.
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