BBC Home
Explore the BBC



Last Updated: Tuesday October 28 2008 08:56 GMT

Ore checks out a poppy factory

Ore at a poppy factory

It's that time of year when you see lots of people across the country, and on TV, wearing poppies.

We wear them to remember all the men and women who've gone to war for their country.

It's quite a bit of work to get the millions of paper poppies ready every year. Ore caught up with a few kids who've been helping out.

"Why do people choose to wear poppies, when they seem determined not to stay on your clothes?

Firstly you've got to get over the challenge of not pricking yourself with the pin when putting it on your jacket or jumper, and of course you run the risk of ruining your clothes.

Then after all of that you probably have to get a new poppy because the old one's all shrivelled up.

It seems like such an effort to attach a little flower made of paper and plastic for a few weeks every year…doesn't it? But what's it all about?


It's not the case that everyone HAS to wear a poppy or that we MUST respect the people that have died in battle. But as soon as you understand why those men and women did what they did, I can't imagine that you wouldn't want to do your part to make sure what they fought for all those years ago are remembered.

The idea of wearing poppies as a symbol of remembrance dates all the way back to 1918.

That's when the First World War ended, and after the fighting had finished some of the battlefields were turned into fields of poppies.

As it was 90 years ago it could be easy to think that remembrance and poppy day aren't important any more, but with wars still being fought that couldn't be less true.

Cubs, Beavers and Scouts at a poppy factory

I went to a factory where poppies are made, and was joined by cubs, beavers and scouts. They helped put poppies together and meet some people that have been affected by war more personally.

The poppy appeal started in 1921, three years after the First World War ended, and since 1922 all poppies in the UK have come from the poppy factory in Richmond in Surrey.

Many of the people that work there have either worked in the army or are connected with the army through friends or family so it was nice to see them chatting with the kids that may not have had much experience of war apart from what they see in school or on the TV.

It may seem like one extra thing to remember when you're getting dressed in the morning, but wearing a poppy means a lot more than just putting on a flower made of paper and plastic."