I began my time as a volunteer collector as part of my own act of remembrance. I had interviewed a couple of Second World War veterans who pointed to the valuable work done by Poppyscotland in supporting the Armed Forces community living across Scotland. Over the last quarter century, I have been privileged to speak to innumerable veterans and their families about what remembrance and Poppyscotland means to them, with the result that I am more committed than ever to supporting this charity which assists people who have shown commitment to an often difficult career, and often without much official gratitude from the government and state that they have served.

2024 is a special landmark for me, personally, marking my 25th year as a Poppyscotland collector. In addition to the annual Remembrance Weekend collections, I have participated in special collections in the Edinburgh Festival, as well as a couple to commemorate First World War centenary events. I have also volunteered at the Garden of Remembrance in Edinburgh over the last few years.

In 2018, to mark my 20th anniversary as a collector, I did a 'virtual cycle', cycling a combined total of nearly 550 miles, to represent the distance from Edinburgh to Béthune, where my great-grandfather (who served with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and died in 1916) is buried. This made the 2024 Poppyscotland Sportive the logical choice for my next attempt at a bigger fundraiser. My target is £2500.00, representing £100 for each of my twenty-five years as a collector.

Please help me help them by giving whatever you can using the 'Donate' button. The more people that know about Poppyscotland, the greater their impact, so please also spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot! Alex Imrie