The Haig Fund (more properly the Earl Haig Fund) is a

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

set up in 1921 by Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig.

History

In response to the poem ''

In Flanders Field "In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend and f ...

'' by

John McCrae Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918) was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I, and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. He is best known for writing the ...

Moina Michael Moina Belle Michael (August 15, 1869 – May 10, 1944) was an American professor and humanitarian who conceived the idea of using poppies as a symbol of remembrance for those who served in World War I. Early life Michael was born in 1869 and l ...

started selling silk poppies in 1918 to raise funds for ex-servicemen. The "Disabled Society" was started in 1920 for disabled ex-servicemen and to raise funds for it Anna Guérin organised the production and sale of silk poppies. In 1921 Guérin persuaded Haig to adopt the poppy as the symbol of the

Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants, as well as all others in ne ...

, however demand exceeded supply. In 1922

George Howson George William Saul Howson MA (8 August 1860 – 7 January 1919) was an English schoolmaster and writer, notable as the reforming headmaster of Gresham's School from 1900 to 1919. Early life Howson was one of the four sons of William Howson of ...

pledged that the disabled society could provide the poppies, which under the name of "The Poppy Factory" they continue to do. On 1 January 1994 the words on the central black button were changes from "Haig Fund" to "Poppy Appeal". The Haig Fund continues to support veterans from all conflicts and other military actions involving

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...

up to the present day. Its members sell

remembrance poppies A remembrance poppy is an artificial flower worn in some countries to commemorate their military personnel who died in war. Remembrance poppies are produced by veterans' associations, who exchange the poppies for charitable donations used to gi ...

in the weeks before

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...

Armistice Day Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark Armistice of 11 November 1918, the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I a ...

Notes

References

External links

Royal Canadian Legion

Earl Haig Fund of Scotland

Royal British Legion Scotland

Royal British Legion
British veterans' organisations Aftermath of World War I in the United Kingdom 1921 establishments in the United Kingdom {{UK-charity-stub

History

See also

Notes

References

External links