SAIF Golden Charter

Acts of remembrance

Independent funeral directors and Golden Charter staff took part in numerous events to raise money for The Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland in the run-up to Armistice Day.

On Tuesday 7 November, three Golden Charter Regional Sales Managers teamed up with funeral directors from West & Coe Ltd, Southall Funeral Service and A Cain (Funeral Services) Ltd to take part in cross planting at the Westminster Abbey field of remembrance. The team helped to plant some of more than 100,000 tributes that were laid at six fields across the UK, each carrying a personal message to someone who lost their life in service to their country.

Team member RSM Russell Cooper said: “Westminster has a total of 67,000 crosses, planted over two days and arranged in plots reflecting regiments, ships and all types of associations connected to the services and various conflicts.

“It was humbling and a privilege to do, as agreed by all that attended.”

The next day Golden Charter entered Poppyscotland’s Corporate Raid in Glasgow. This is the second year that a team from the company has braved the freezing November temperatures to offer poppies to the public for a donation. The team raised £560.16.

A fundraising fair and raffle was also held at Golden Charter’s head office on 10 November, where staff donated books, DVDs and home baking to be sold. Raffle prizes included a two-night stay in Tewkesbury donated by Country Cottages, tickets to the Irn-Bru Carnival, with thanks to Irn-Bru, and treats donated by Tunnocks. The fair raised £616 and a company donation brought the total to £1,200.

On the same day, the Communications Team visited Lady Haig ’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh to deliver a cheque for £864.77 to Poppyscotland. This follows Victoria Wershof, The Royal British Legion’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, visiting A B Walker & Son to accept a donation of an equal amount to The Royal British Legion, presented by SAIFCharter Chairman Julian Walker.

These donations were part of larger funds raised at Golden Charter’s Funeral Planner of the Year Awards in September, where funeral directors and guests made donations for the chance to win a luxury hamper from Fortnum & Mason. This raised a total of £2,594.30 which was split evenly between The Royal British Legion, Poppyscotland and the SAIF President’s Charity, The British Heart Foundation.

Last year, Golden Charter raised more than £139,000 for The Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland, and aims to take this total to more than £250,000 during the second year of partnership.

Claire Rowcliffe, Director of Fundraising at The Royal British Legion, said: “The funeral profession is all about appropriate commemoration of our loved ones who have passed. Through this partnership with Golden Charter we hope to continue to keep alive the memory of the fallen in our Armed Forces community and support the future of the living.”