Kirkcaldy veteran raises hundreds of pounds for charity through wreath-making challenge

Debbie Parkinson (47) works at the Lady Haig Poppy Factory but has been doing the job from her home in the town since the lockdown started at the end of March.

And she wanted to raise money for the Scottish charity Poppyscotland so she began her marathon 2.6 challenge at 9am on Thursday, May 15 which involved her making poppy wreaths over 26 hours.

She finished the fundraiser at 11am on Friday, May 15 - on the same day she celebrated her 28th wedding anniversary to husband John.

Debbie, who is proud to be the first ever female veteran to be working at the Edinburgh-based factory since it opened in 1926, said: “I joined the Women’s Royal Army Core (WRAC) when I was 17 and a half and when it was disbanded in 1991, I signed up to the Royal Army Ordinance Core (RAOC) as a storeman but most of the time I was a driver, driving lorries, coaches and pretty much anything.

“I started working in the Lady Haig Poppy Factory in August 2016.”

Debbie explained that while her husband was working at Lloyd’s Banking Group, he and other staff members took part in a charity day at the Lady Haig Poppy Factory making poppies.

“The staff were asking why there weren’t any female veterans working at the factory and it was because there weren’t any. This was in the April and I had retired early from the RAOC due to ill health in the June so I found out about working in the factory and started working full time there in August 2016 and was the first female veteran to do so since it opened.

“I enjoy working at the factory because everyone there is all ex-military so you get the banter you would have if you were still in the military.”

Since lockdown Debbie has been working at her own wreath table at home and has the materials delivered to her each week.

She had thought about doing a fundraiser last year but felt it wasn’t the right time, but Debbie was confident she could successfully complete it this year, despite the circumstances: “I gave myself a target of completing 150 wreaths but had the spare 20 there to make just incase. It was like an endurance thing and it was hard to keep going during the night, but I got there in the end!

“I made 170, I worked out I needed to spend 9 minutes making a wreath to complete the challenge but I was actually working quicker than that which was great.”

Debbie revealed why she did the fundraiser: “I wanted to give something back to Poppyscotland and the Lady Haig Poppy Factory because what they do for veterans is just amazing so this was my way of giving something back.

“The factory has supported employment for veterans and helping to give work to people who have just come out of the military and Poppyscotland helps veterans with welfare, housing, helping them with PTSD and/or those with disabilities, it is such a worthy cause.

“To me it is just my time and effort which is nothing and it gives me so much pleasure to know I am helping someone else. It is especially difficult just now with the pandemic. It shows though that there are still things people can do to help charities even though we are in lockdown.”

So far Debbie has raised £636 and she is keeping her just giving page open until June 1. Anyone want to make a donation should visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/debbies-26-challenge2021