A Trip to the Poppy Factory and a Boat Trip down the Thames

Hi, everyone.  Yesterday I went on another Broomfield Coach trip, this one to the factory that makes all the Remembrance Day poppies and wreaths, employing veterans from the armed forces who would otherwise not be able to find employment for various reasons, mostly linked to disability they incurred while serving.
(There's also a factory in Edinburgh that makes for Scotland - the poppies are different)

The factory is based on Richmond upon Thames so that's where the coach took us.
It was first founded in 1922 on the Old Kent Road to offer employment opportunities to wounded soldiers from WWI but the whole poppy idea began in Flanders.  It seems that poppy seeds can remain dormant in the ground for a long time and will spring into life if the soil is disturbed.  Trench warfare meant that large areas were churned up and turned over and in 1915, up they came. vivid and red.  Soldiers pressed the petals in their service book and some sent those pressed petals home in letters.  So poppies became associated with battle, death, injury and disability in the minds of families at home, helped by a short poem written by a soldier in the field, John McCrae which I think you will all recognise.

In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

We had a very interesting talk before enjoying a hot drink and piece of cake (delicious).  We were encouraged to explore the Visitor's Centre, read all the info on the walls and have a go at making poppies.  

The long stemmed poppies, slightly more fancy, are used for the thousands of wreaths made for groups and organisations all over the country.  We had a go if we wanted but were not allowed to take them home.  All these will be used this year.  It feels good to be a little part of it.

The poppies we all know and wear are made using a very simple shaped block of wood that enables anyone with dexterity issues to be successful.  We tried using our non-dominant hand - just one hand needed - and it really was easy.  I came home with two!!

We didn't go into the actual production areas - some of the people there are mentally unwell and lacking in any confidence and it would be cruel and distressing for them.

There was a shop by the entrance and, guess what - I got my fridge magnet!!  I also bought a poppy pen, a poppy plate and a poppy mug, both in bone china and a great way to support the work as well as a souvenir.

Here's a link to a YouTube video (there's quite a number on YouTube if you want to explore further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1H54dnxCf8&t=40s

And a few photos I took.

This is King Charles' wreath.  I thought the wreaths were discarded after use but, no, after a time they are collected up and sent back to be repaired as necessary and re-used.  There was also the Prince of Wales' wreath and the use used by the late Queen Elisabeth.

Wreathes used by some of the armed forces - all reused as much as possible.

Finally, posted with their permission, here's Ray and Jan Spiller, the lovely couple that started and continue to run the Broomfield coach trips, supported now by the coach company they use, Kevendys.

They truly are the loveliest, most generous and caring people I know.

When time was up, we set off down to the Thames (literally one road and some gardens away) to wait for the boat ride.  That's when people ate the sandwiches they had brought with them.

There's not  lot of info about the boat trip.  The Thames is the Thames, it is tidal for quite a distance and we had to wait for the tides to be right.  I had a great seat, right at the front, and clicked away merrily.

Here's just some photos, a few with comments but, really, they speak for themselves.

The view from where we were waiting.

Really wouldn't mind living in one of those - except for the low flying planes every five minutes or less!

I had a cheeky glass of wine on the boat - as did quite a lot of us!  It felt very luxurious!

The Albert Bridge

Been there on another Broomfield trip.

I wouldn't like to even begin to guess how much these apartments cost!

The old ILEA County Hall in the Olden Days.  I came here for my first ever job interview - not that you could really call it an interview.  You had to be stunningly bad to not get taken on by ILEA in them there days!

And the Eye. of course or, as one little reception pupil wrote, 'i went to the lun dun I' - such a brave attempt.

And the end of the journey.

The coach was waiting close by for us and home we went.

It was a really lovely trip.  We were so, so lucky with the weather.  It was warm, even on the water, but not hot and the whole day was very restful.

The next one is a week on Monday and it's back to London to see Paddington.  I am SO looking forward to that!

Living the best life right now and feeling so very blessed.