AN EXHIBITION of Scottish poppy supporters has launched in Edinburgh.
The contemporary exhibition, entitled Unforgettable Stories, features 50 images of people from all across Scotland, each one taken by acclaimed photographers Trevor and Faye Yerbury.
Alongside each photograph is a card displaying the individual’s answer to the question “What does the poppy mean to you?”
The display includes images of serving soldiers, veterans and supporters of the charity. However Poppyscotland, the charity behind the exhibition, also appealed for members of the public to come forward to tell their stories and feature in the exhibition.
Poppyscotland Chief Executive Ian McGregor said: “The Scottish Poppy Appeal has been helping ex-Servicemen, women and their families for 90 years and is needed as much now as ever before.
Memories
“In Unforgettable Stories we believe we have found an ideal way to enable the people of Scotland to share in the celebrations of the 90th anniversary and also share their own unforgettable stories.”
Two of the people featuring in Unforgettable Stories were there to see the exhibition formally opened. Eric Gurr is a veteran from Edinburgh and was injured in Korea on 5th November 1950 after being shot several times during an ambush.
He managed to survive by ‘playing dead’ and was one of only three members of his platoon to survive.
Helen O’Brien, who lives in Burntisland, has no connection to Poppyscotland but the poppy reminds her of her grandfather, who was a navigator on the Lancaster Bomber with 116 Squadron during World War II.
The exhibition at Princes Mall will run until the end of November. Poppyscotland will continue to grow Unforgettable Stories during and after the Appeal and will complete the exhibition with a total of 90 portraits to celebrate the 90th anniversary.
Money raised from the Scottish Poppy Appeal is used to provide vital support to ex-Servicemen, women and their families, many of whom suffer as a result of physical, psychological or financial problems.
Those wishing to share their stories and feature in the exhibition should contact 90portraits@poppyscotland.org.uk
