Poppy sellers complete epic 1,000 mile fundraising challenge across England and Scotland

Veteran fundraisers Denis and Barbara Scaife have completed their biggest poppy selling marathon to date across England and Scotland, travelling more than 1,000 miles to raise money for the Royal British Legion onboard Lumo and Hull Trains services.

The pair, both in their seventies, started their challenge in Hull, with a special fanfare performed by The East Riding of Yorkshire Band, before travelling to London. They then boarded a Lumo service to Stirling, before heading to Edinburgh and London.

They completed their challenge on the 16:10 service to Hull, with the onboard team presenting the pair with a bouquet of flowers as they sold their last poppy. Their family were also on the platform to greet them as they finished the challenge.

Denis, a former Non-Commissioned Officer (Sapper) with the Corps of Royal Engineers, launched the Poppy Express 11 years ago alongside his wife Barbara. What began as a small fundraising effort involving the pair has grown into a respected annual tradition, with volunteers travelling the East Coast Main Line each autumn to support the Royal British Legion.

Despite facing significant health challenges this year, Denis remains determined to continue fundraising for causes close to his heart. He also lives with PTSD and is open about sharing his experiences to help raise awareness of mental health issues among veterans and the wider community.

Reflecting on the challenge, Denis said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Lumo and Hull Trains for their support with the Poppy Express over the years and couldn’t wait to get our latest challenge underway. It’s always a privilege to sell poppies to their friendly and generous customers.

“This year’s challenge has been particularly special as we took the Poppy Express to the West Coast Main Line for the first time. We raised over £1,000 on just our first Hull Trains journey which shows how important doing this has been. Thank you so much to every customer who stopped to chat with us, donate and buy a poppy. It means the world to us.”

Richard Salkeld, Director of Communications & Partnerships at Lumo and Hull Trains, said: “Denis and Barbara are inspirational and it’s a real honour to be part of their story. Their dedication to the Poppy Express is something to be admired and I’m thrilled by the success of their latest challenge.

“We launched our brand new West Coast service earlier this year, giving us a great opportunity to bring the Poppy Express to even more communities across England and Scotland. All our teams would like to wish them a massive congratulations and I hope they get some well earned rest after their heroic efforts.”

Both open access operators are proud supporters of their local communities, as well as the Armed Forces. Last year, both joined other rail companies in offering free travel to veterans across the country as part of national remembrance efforts. Their backing of the ‘Poppy Express’ continues that commitment to honouring service and sacrifice.