Nairn Scouts innovate to help with British Legion poppy appeal
A thoughtful 11-year-old’s poignant and colourful creations are helping a Nairn scout group raise valuable funds for the British Legion’s poppy appeal.
With Covid-19 restrictions limiting the usual energetic sale of poppies for Remembrance Sunday, members of 1st Nairn Scouts have risen to the challenge by devising new ways of raising cash.
One member, Will Hayden of the town’s Cawdor Street, was inspired to paint poppy designs on stones, with the names of fallen war heroes from the Nairnshire area imprinted alongside.
The youngster has set up a donation box and display at the end of his garden lane and is working tirelessly to keep up with demand.
The designs have also caused a stir on social media with many hundreds of comments and ‘likes’.
With people from outwith the area keen to donate, his mum Jenna has now set up a Just Giving page, raising an impressive £400 so far.
A scout since February 2017, Will explained: “We’d been on holiday in Hopeman last week and we saw lots of painted stones.
“I was trying to think of a good idea for my sponsorship and my grandad, who lives next door to us, cam up with the idea of painting poppy stones.
“Last year when we went to church during remembrance, I was picked out of the hat to lay the scouts’ wreath.
“As we went into the church, everyone was given the name of a fallen hero from the Nairnshire area on a bit of paper.
“I thought it would be nice to do that with the stones.
“I’m glad that it has been popular.
“I have to keep running down to the gate to keep topping it up!”
First Nairn Scouts leader Drew David-son said it had been “incredibly challenging” to compensate for the loss of their usual fundraising activities during the pandemic, but praised Will and his fellow scouts for all their hard work over the past few months.
He said: “Remembrance Sunday is a very important day in our calendar.
“Normally, our 1st Nairn Scout group are out in the community selling poppies and parading at the Nairn War Memorial, along with our friends in the other uniform youth group.
“This year has given us an incredible challenge, but as scouts we have adapted – and risen – to these challenges with a group hike and also individual endeavours.
“Will’s actions have really stood out.”
