Poppies for Schools campaign to expand, thanks to donation by Unwins Seeds

A local campaign designed to get pupils planting poppy seeds ready for the Centenary of World War One is set to expand.

The Poppies for Schools campaign, launched in the Peterborough area by local man Stanley Kaye, captured the attention of the Head of e-Commerce at Unwins Seeds, Ed Schofield, a former Army reservist.

Ed, based in Alconbury, thought it was a fantastic idea and had no hesitation in donating a 2,000 packets of poppy seeds to schools in the extended Peterborough area in an attempt to get the planting off to a flying start and enabling schools to create their own poppy fields for 2014. Schools, such as Ravensthorpe Primary School, Holme Primary School and Alconbury Primary School have already implemented the campaign, building the World War One topic into their teaching schedules including visits by soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment, which has also backed the campaign.

Now, due to the ongoing success and unprecedented support globally and from local figures, such as local MP Shailesh Vara, a decision has been made to expand the campaign across the region.

From the New Year, Unwins Seeds, owned by Westland Horticulture will offer poppy seeds to schools across East Anglia and Yorkshire, where the business has operational sites.

Ed Schofield said: “Unwins Seeds wholeheartedly support this campaign and we would like to see a veritable sea of red poppies across East Anglia and Yorkshire in time or the centenary of the outbreak of WW1 next year.”

“As a local employer, we feel it is important that our children understand the meaning of the poppy and take pride in it as our national symbol of remembrance - we owe it to those who died so we might have a future - to never forget.”