The Royal British Legion launches its Surrey Poppy Appeal at B&Q Valley Park, Croydon, at 10.30am on Saturday 24 October, with the Civic Mayor and veterans.
The Royal British Legion will launch its Surrey Poppy Appeal 2026 in Croydon, at the B&Q store on Hesterman Way, Valley Park (CR0 4YA), at 10.30am on Saturday 24 October. The Civic Mayor, Cllr Islam, and the Civic Mayoress, Farhana Islam, will each be given a ceremonial first poppy, then present poppies to B&Q as the host, and the Civic Mayor will give a thank-you speech.
This year’s appeal is about service families. In the legion’s words: “when someone serves, their family serves too, facing unique challenges and sacrifices alongside their loved one.”
The quick answer
- What: the Royal British Legion’s Surrey launch of the 2026 Poppy Appeal.
- When: Saturday 24 October 2026, 10.30am.
- Where: B&Q, Hesterman Way, Valley Park, Croydon CR0 4YA.
- Who will be there: the Civic Mayor and Mayoress, Royal British Legion staff and veterans, cadets, B&Q staff and Poppy Appeal organisers from across Surrey.
- The national launch is two days earlier, on Thursday 22 October.
What happens on the day
The launch will be led by the legion’s Poppy Appeal managers for Surrey, Gary Wood and Peter Wakeham, who covers East Surrey, alongside B&Q staff and the volunteer Poppy Appeal organisers who run collections across the county. Legion staff, including veterans, will be there, along with cadets.
The order of events, as the legion set it out in its advisory, is short: the Civic Mayor and Mayoress receive their first poppies, they present poppies to B&Q, and the Civic Mayor thanks everyone in a speech. Veterans and legion staff will be available to talk about what it means to them to see people wearing poppies at this time of year.
Why this year’s appeal is about families
The legion says the impact that service has on family life is the top reason serving personnel give for considering leaving their job, and that is the theme it has chosen for 2026.
“The RBL recognises the contribution and sacrifice of Armed Forces families and is there from day one of service and throughout their lives,” the charity said. “The RBL supports family members and children who may struggle with the upheaval and disruption of service life, and the Poppy Appeal in Surrey helps the RBL to continue its vital work supporting this community during and after service.”
The launch itself, it said, “will highlight how people’s generous donations to the RBL’s Poppy Appeal in Surrey can help the charity to support those who need it.”
The Remembrance dates to note
The legion lists these dates for the period of Remembrance:
- Thursday 22 October: national launch of the Poppy Appeal.
- Saturday 24 October: the Surrey launch at B&Q, Valley Park, Croydon.
- Saturday 7 November: the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
- Sunday 8 November: the legion’s March Past the Cenotaph, Whitehall.
- Wednesday 11 November: Armistice Day and the two-minute silence.
Croydon’s own Remembrance Sunday is also on 8 November, at the Cenotaph on Katharine Street. What we know about it so far, including last year’s times, is on our Croydon Remembrance Sunday page.
What it means for you
- You can go along. The launch is in the B&Q store at Valley Park at 10.30am on Saturday 24 October. The legion has not given a finish time.
- Your donation to the Poppy Appeal in Surrey, the legion says, helps it support Armed Forces families and the wider service community during and after service.
- To donate online or find out more about the appeal, go to the Royal British Legion’s website.
The Royal British Legion is registered charity 219279 in England and Wales and SC054446 in Scotland.
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