Acknowledging the British tradition of inadvertently taking pub glasses home, Marston’s and The Royal British Legion are turning it into a Charitable act.
This year, 1,000 pubs across the UK, including 110 in Yorkshire, will offer drinks in special limited-edition poppy-themed glasses as part of the Poppy Appeal, encouraging patrons to legally take the glasses home. Starting October 26th, these commemorative pint and half-pint glasses will be on sale at 1,175 Marston’s locations nationwide, with the Yorkshire pubs participating. Pint glasses will be available for £2.50 and half-pint glasses for £2. All profits from the glass sales will benefit The Royal British Legion. Customers can buy the glasses empty or filled with their choice of drink, enjoying a pint in the pub before taking their glass home as a keepsake.
The poppy-themed glasses are a highlight of Marston’s month-long campaign to honor veterans, with pubs across the country hosting various awareness and fundraising events. These include community breakfasts and live music performances to pay tribute to both past and present veterans. Traditional pin-on poppies are also available for purchase. The Royal British Legion, the nation’s largest Armed Forces charity with over 180,000 members, has been committed since 1921 to supporting serving and ex-serving veterans as well as their families, including dependents and carers.
Each year, the Poppy Appeal is launched to raise funds for The Royal British Legion ahead of Remembrance Sunday, helping to provide essential support to the Armed Forces community. In 2023, there was a 35% increase in requests for assistance, leading The Royal British Legion to support 27,000 individuals and distribute over £18 million in grants to those in need.
Marston’s is committed to supporting the veteran community and reaffirmed this commitment by re-signing the Armed Forces Covenant in February 2024. This act underscores their ongoing dedication to offering employment opportunities to veterans and their families. Several Marston’s pubs are operated and staffed by ex-serving veterans, further integrating support for the military community into their business operations. To find your nearest participating pub, please visit www.marstonspubs.co.uk
Jared Sedgwick, Director of Operations from Marston’s said:
“Brits have been known to take glasses home with them from the pub, but this time we’re encouraging it! We’re so proud to be working in partnership with The Royal British Legion to give our customers another way to raise awareness and crucial funds for veterans, who are such a large part of the Marson’s community. We want to welcome everyone to their local pub for what will be a month to remember, and join us in saying cheers to our heroes.”
Ben France, Head of Corporate Partnerships from The Royal British Legion said:
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Marstons to support Poppy Appeal this year and beyond. The fundraising taking place across their network of pubs will help transform the lives of those in need across our Armed Forces community.”
The Royal British Legion stands as a pillar of support for the United Kingdom’s armed forces community. Founded in 1921, this revered organization has been unwavering in its commitment to serve veterans, active service members, and their families. As the nation’s leading charity for those who have served and sacrificed, the RBL plays a crucial role in advocating for the armed forces community and providing essential services.
100% profit, which is £0.47 from half pint and £0.97 from pint glass sales will be paid to The Royal British Legion. Glasses will be available to purchase empty, as well as with drinks to be enjoyed in pubs, before taking them home.
