The first rule of selling flags

stickywicket

1. Look interested. 2. Make eye contact. 3. Smile.

The woman selling poppies in Waitrose today was looking far into the distance with a face like a wet weekend. I was wearing my poppy but Mr SW had left his in another jacket. She didn't appear to notice.

I've spent many a fascinating – if, often, freezing – hour with a tin in my hand. It's a real insight into people's habits (Young teenage lads especially will sometimes just empty their entire pockets into the tin) and often you get some lovely feedback. But you do have to look, pleasantly, at people first.

LignumVitae

Maybe she was trying to look contemplative but failing! I know what you mean though, it's quite off putting when somebody looks unapproachable even if you do want to donate to charity.

theresak

I had a lovely chat with the lady selling poppies at Sainsbury`s on Monday - it turned out she always stays at the hotel we use in Ypres, so we had a nice gossip. That was probably because she looked such a cheery soul when people approached.

tkachev

We have two lovely chaps selling poppies at our Waitrose and today they had the usual crowd, young and old, gathered around them. Mind you they were sitting in the entrance and there was a fair cold breeze blowing.

Elizabeth x

frogmorton

We have regular old chaps too Elizabeth in our Sains*ury (cheeky they are - I bet the rake it in!!), and two others in Te*co. Both sit in that glass covered atrium bit and both get fed hot sausage rolls by the staff

This year I have a lovely crocheted poppy, which the young lad who helps out with the Sain*bury-two's sister makes

Eye contact this lot definitely make

Love

Toni xxx

stickywicket

frogmorton wrote:

both get fed hot sausage rolls by the staff

:oops: I confess, I had a hierarchy of collection stores. The one which plied us with tea (in a little pot ) and chocolate biscuits was top of the list. The bottom was the one where we were in a large 'porch with wide doors either side - freezing in winter and suffocating in summer.

tkachev

Ours are cheeky too Toni! I hope our poppy sellers get fed with warm food on a regular basis, especially as Waitrose are happy enough to give away a free coffee to card holders.


Elizabeth

stickywicket

Waitrose were the ones who gave us a pot of tea etc, tchakev. We were treated very well indeed.

barbara12

We had the young men in uniform every where and they are so pleasant it was a pleasure to but one off them..or should I say another one...we have lost count.. wish they would put safety pins on them but suppose its the cost..