Please note that as of October 2020, we now operate as Sight Scotland. Our former name, Royal Blind will appear in content, such as reports, produced before that date.
Royal Blind pupils try their hand at making poppies at Edinburgh’s Poppy Factory.
Four pupils from the Royal Blind School visited Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh. Bo, Rebeka, Jay and Aiden were given a tour of the factory and met several of the ex-servicemen and women who live there.
Royal Blind teacher Pam Young, who accompanied the pupils on the trip said:
“They absolutely loved the experience of meeting the ex-servicemen. The Haig Poppy Factory made a huge effort to make sure that the pupils, all of whom are vision impaired, could touch and feel the poppies, and even the mascot pony, which made the day so memorable and is so important for children who are blind or have sight loss.”
Aiden, 14, a pupil at the Royal Blind School, said: “I really enjoyed meeting and speaking to the ex-servicemen.”
Jay, 13, said: "I liked chatting with the ex-servicemen and making the wreaths together."
Rebeka, 12 and Bo, 9 both said: "It was fantastic, we really loved meeting the pony and how the pony’s nose felt. It was fun to make the poppy wreaths.”
The original Lady Haig Poppy Factory was opened in March 1926, employing men who had been disabled during World War 1 to make poppies for Scotland.
The factory currently has a work force of 40 ex-servicemen, the large majority of whom are registered disabled. The factory is currently operating from Redford Barracks in Colinton whilst it’s permanent home in Warriston Road is being renovated.
The story of the pupils visit was featured in the Sunday Post and you can read it here: