Rachel Riley among stars going ‘undercover’ in covert poppy appeal campaign
The Countdown star joins Poppy Appeal collectors 'to shine a spotlight on our armed forces who sacrifice so much to serve our country'
Rachel Riley has gone “undercover” as a Poppy Appeal collector to celebrate the thousands of volunteers who give up their free time for the Royal British Legion’s annual appeal.
The Countdown star teamed up with some of the Legion’s 40,000 poppy sellers to shine a light on their fundraising efforts.
The campaign will help to highlight how the money raised every year is used to support serving and former members of the British armed forces and their families, and the sacrifices they have made.
The TV star and maths whizz, who is pregnant with her first child with her former Strictly Come Dancing star husband Pasha Kovalev, joined forces with collectors in Salford to help launch the 2019 Poppy Appeal.
Riley said: “I’ve gone undercover as part of the Royal British Legion and GCHQ’s Operation Poppy to highlight the hard work and dedication of the 40,000 Poppy Appeal collectors who give up their time each year, and to shine a spotlight on our armed forces who sacrifice so much to serve our country.”
Operation Poppy will take place across the day on Thursday on both the news and on social media, as well as screens at London’s Paddington Station, where members of the public can watch the celebrities being revealed and hear stories of those serving in the armed forces.
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.
“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.”
The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal takes place from October 24 until Armistice Day on November 11.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
