# Showing support for the Poppy Appeal on a grand scale

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/10/30/showing-support-poppy-appeal-grand-scale/
- Published: 2014-10-30T17:43:59+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The poppy you buy and wear might only be just over an inch in diameter, but that
hasn’t stopped some supporters thinking on a far bigger scale this year.**

Here are some striking presentations of the poppy on a grand scale.

 

## Advertisement

## 1. GCHQ staff

Civilian and military staff at GCHQ in Cheltenham donned 1,308 red ponchos, 27 black
uniforms, and 73 military ‘green’ uniforms to create the image of the poppy in the
middle of their doughnut-shaped building.

**Editor’s note:** _the video previously embedded here (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=zc5ijfpXwK0) is no longer available._

 

## 2. A capital image

> Ex-Royal Marine runs through London in the shape of a giant poppy [http://t.co/uYm1V0BGnr](http://t.co/uYm1V0BGnr)
> [pic.twitter.com/cjAiEdKdAl](http://t.co/cjAiEdKdAl)
> — The Independent (@Independent) [October 28, 2014](https://x.com/Independent/status/527101805067784192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Former Royal Marine Commando Ben McBean has run 31 miles within London using a mobile
app to plot his route in order to produce a large poppy shape.

He wants the public to run on the route he created and raise funds through sponsorship
for the Royal British Legion. He was injured in a landmine incident in Afghanistan
in 2008 and lost an arm and a leg. He received support from the Legion as he recovered.

The Vodafone Foundation is offering to match fund the first £100,000 raised in response
to McBean’s initiative. It is supporting him through Vodafone Firsts, its programme
that helps people achieve their dreams using technology.

 

## 3. British Airways flies the poppy

British Airways is showing its support for the campaign by adorning one of its Boeing
747s with the poppy image:

> Supporting [#PoppyAppeal](https://x.com/hashtag/PoppyAppeal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> with pride, we're commemorating our servicemen & women with a giant poppy on one
> of our 747s [pic.twitter.com/bLOoFaCCMY](http://t.co/bLOoFaCCMY)
> — British Airways (@British_Airways) [October 29, 2014](https://x.com/British_Airways/status/527429675690520576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

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