GCHQ supports The Royal British Legion’s 2019 Poppy Appeal launch
We're delighted to be supporting The Royal British Legion as they launch their 2019 Poppy Appeal. As part of the launch, famous faces from the worlds of music and entertainment have undertaken a special mission codenamed Operation Poppy.
In their new roles the undercover celebrities have teamed up with some of the Legion’s 40,000 Poppy Appeal collectors to shine a light on their fundraising endeavours and highlight how the money raised is being used to support serving and ex-serving personnel and their families. The identities of the celebrities will be revealed throughout the day, and the public are invited to stay one step ahead by solving cryptic clues developed by our codebreakers to discover who the secret collectors are.
The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal takes place from 24 October until Armistice Day on 11 November. Proceeds raised during this vital fundraising period are used to provide life-long support to serving and ex-serving members of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants through hardships, injuries and bereavements. Throughout this year’s Poppy Appeal the Legion is focusing on the unseen service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces past and present. We're delighted to support this year’s Poppy Appeal - from radio ciphers to cybersecurity, we have been quietly working at the heart of the nation’s security for a century now. For the past 100 years, our intelligence has helped to protect the military and this continues to be a key part of our mission.
The Royal British Legion’s Director of Fundraising, Claire Rowcliffe said:
“Our undercover celebrities and the puzzles are a fun and engaging way for the public to get involved in this year’s Poppy Appeal launch, but there is a serious message at its heart. Life for those in the Armed Forces community comes with a whole host of challenges and difficulties – from those that endure the daily sacrifice of being away from loved ones, to those carrying out roles that so often go unnoticed, such as at GCHQ.
“This year is all about telling the hidden stories of our Armed Forces who provide an incredible service to our country in all kinds of ways, and telling the stories of the collectors who volunteer every year to show their support for them. Every Poppy Appeal collector has a unique story to tell so we’re asking the public to look out for them, make a donation and wear their poppy with pride.”
‘Operation Poppy’ will play out across the day in the news and on social media, as well as via screens located at London Paddington Station, where the passing public can watch the celebrity reveals and hear the stories of real unseen contributions being made by the Armed Forces community.
Director GCHQ, Jeremy Fleming said:
“It is a privilege, in this our centenary year, to be able to support The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal Launch 2019.
“GCHQ has worked closely with all three services throughout our 100-year history. To be able to be a part of an appeal that recognises the unseen service of our armed forces, both past and present, allows us to express our extreme gratitude for their service.
“Our ongoing relationship with the armed forces will continue to be essential as we enter our second century.”
We are supporting this year’s Poppy Appeal as part of our centenary year. For the past 100 years, our men and women have worked behind the scenes to keep the country safe – from providing frontline support to the military to protecting cyber security online.
Operation Poppy represents the first of many activities that will be taking place over the course of the 2019 Poppy Appeal in recognition of the unseen contributions of our Armed Forces. More than 40 million paper poppies, 500,000 poppies of other types, 5 million Remembrance petals, 100,000 wreaths and sprays, 750,000 Remembrance Crosses and other Remembrance items are distributed each year.
