Health and safety gone mad!

[ailurophile]

This beats it all. While shopping in town yesterday I stopped to buy a poppy for Remembrance Day. The jacket I was wearing had no suitable buttonhole, so I asked the vendor for a pin; as she handed one over, she said "I have to warn you that this pin has a sharp point and could cause injury." I laughed, thinking for a moment that she was being ironic - but no! It turned out that she really had been instructed to issue a health and safety warning with every pin she dispensed. Presumably by next year they won't be allowed to offer pins to the public at all, just to be on the safe side... How long before some paranoid jobsworth decides that the poppies themselves might constitute a choking hazard?!!

[Fjgrogan]

Apparently my husband has seen poppies on sale with a stick-on back.

[englishangel]

Most other charities now do sticky things, but I have ruined so many garments I just say that I only donate by Gift-Aid (which I do) but not with Poppies as they are clearly a visual statement.

[Katharine]

I saw some people wearing enamel poppies today. I thought one of the things about poppies was that they were really ephemeral and didn't last - some years I have ended up buying several as I keep on losing them! Now I don't use the pin at all, but pull the thing to pieces and use my Inner Wheel button in the centre instead.

[Fjgrogan]

I usually wear two poppies together - one the usual red one, the other the white poppy of the Peace Pledge Union, to indicate that although I respect the sacrifice made by those who fought and died in wartime it is important that we should be working for peace, because that is what they fought and died for.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Today, I attended the Remembrance Service, in our Church.

This is the only day, on which I wear my "Gongs", and I sat next to a retired GP, who served in the Navy, during the War, and who sports a long plethora of "Gongs" from every Theatre of Operations, including what he describes as his "Stalin Medal"--- from the Arctic Convoys.
We were joking about the amount of Metal on show, and wondered if "'Elf and Insanity" would be issuing an "Abatement of Noise" Order !!!

On a different note, I was wearing, on my Right Breast (Since it isn't mine) an Indian Army Medal with bars for Waziristan 1919-21 and Afghanistan N.W.F (North West Frontier) 1919, inscribed GEORGIVS V KAISAR -I- HIND and on the rim ---
2/lieut W>A>EVANS 37th DOGRAS.

This is a Family Medal. of which I am particularly fond. Poor Uncle Bill, died on the N.W.F. at the age of 22, from Appendicitus-- which, there, was a Death Sentence !
We also have, in the Family, a V.C. and a DCM, but to me, I have a particular sympathy, for this medal, for him to die at that age, AFTER WW1, and not from an Afghan Bullet, but appendicitis, is no way for a Soldier to go.

He is the one I think of, on Remembrance Day

[englishangel]

Just a small point, you make a donation and are given the poppy in recognition you do not buy it.

There was also something in the Daily Mail about collectors being forbidden to shake their tins. Charity collectors have never been allowed to shake their tins. I collected for the St John's Ambulance many years ago (about 37) and was told that on no account was I allowed to solicit donations (i.e. shake my tin - or anything else). This didn't stop a rather handsome young policeman telling everyone who walked past without donating how mean they were being to this lovely young lady and her attempts to raise money for such a worthy cause.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Yes we are forbidden to shake tins, but we smile sweetly !

Englishangel -- is that a Light Sabre ? --- "'Elf and Insanity" please note !

[englishangel]

Yes, the picture is entitled, "When Jedi go bad" the two light sabres behinfd me are also being brandished by women "d'une certaine age". Taken at Ascot races on October 31st. In my defence I had been drinking since 11.30am and the picture was taken just before the fireworks display at 6pm.

[Angela Woodford]

Most other charities now do sticky things, but I have ruined so many garments I just say that I only donate by Gift-Aid (which I do) but not with Poppies as they are clearly a visual statement.

This made me pleased that I spent the summer at the Cathedral being very mindful that the stickers we issued to every visitor might spoil their garment.

I once had a leather collar on a coat ruined by a charity sticker! Alas!

The Head of Visitor Services was adamant that the sticker should be given to the visitor to stick on themselves. It was incredibly funny how many manly chests were thrust forward for me to attach the sticker -

Me: Would you like to place the sticker yourself? (In joking fashion) Otherwise this could count as Assault....

Male Visitor: Go right ahead, darling -

Partner of Male Visitor: No, you go ahead, love, give him a thrill -

(or even, occasionally)

Male Visitor: (dubious chuckle) Now stick one on herself - she won't mind (proferred bosom, chuckle chuckle)

I believe I've read somewhere that Strictly Come Dancing contestants were not allowed to wear poppies in case they flew off and became a health hazard! They could have worn stickers...

[cstegerlewis]

In another Forum I frequent, the following was posted:

an excellent bit of humour from one of the old boys I bought a poppy off yesterday...

(World War II veteran): "I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to touch the pins for the poppies. You'll have to take one yourself. Mind out, they're lethal. They must be because I can use grenades, a gun and and a bayonet, but apparently these pins are just too dangerous for me to handle."


Delivered deadpan, What a star

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I loved Craig's tale of the Dead-pan response of the WW11 Veteran !!!

For myself, I am not sure, which I would rather face --- Englishangel's Light Sabre --- or an Afghan Bullet !!!

[ailurophile]

I believe I've read somewhere that Strictly Come Dancing contestants were not allowed to wear poppies in case they flew off and became a health hazard! They could have worn stickers...

Well I noticed that on Saturday, every Strictly Come Dancing contestant had a poppy firmly skewered to their costume: presumably quite a challenge for the wardrobe department considering that in some cases the poppy was more substantial than the dress to which it had to be attached!

[Fjgrogan]

Yet another example of (presumably) Health and Safety gone mad - I have just spotted this in yesterday's Sunday Mirror;
'Kindly pensioner ......... has been banned from taking his housebound neighbours' rubbish to the local tip. Officials told (him) he could be prosecuted because he hasn't got a waste carrier's licence. ......... '[/i]

[Angela Woodford]

I loved Craig's tale of the Dead-pan response of the WW11 Veteran !!!

For myself, I am not sure, which I would rather face --- Englishangel's Light Sabre --- or an Afghan Bullet !!! :lol:

This weekend, I have just been hearing details of my son's explosives training, prior to his future deployment to Afghanistan. So, not terribly funny, NEILL. There may be others on the Forum who have loved ones serving in Afghanistan.

"LOL" indeed.