For over 100 years the RSA has held its Annual Poppy Appeal to raise the funds needed to provide support to New Zealand's veterans of military service and their whānau.

The street appeal, known as Poppy Day, is the longest continually running appeal in New Zealand's history.

But how did it all begin?

History of the Poppy Appeal

After the end of WW1 a French woman, Madame E. Guérin, came up with the idea of widows and orphans manufacturing artificial poppies in the devastated areas of Northern France that could be sold by veterans' organisations to support both veterans and the destitute children of northern France.

In 1921, Colonel Samuel Moffat, Madam Guerin’s poppy emissary visited New Zealand to promote the concept of selling poppies and as a result of his visit, the RSA ordered 360,000 French made poppies to sell in New Zealand to mark Armistice Day on 11 November that year. 

Unfortunately, shipping delays meant the poppies arrived too late to properly advertise the scheme prior to Armistice Day - so the decision was made to postpone the inaugural Poppy Appeal until the day prior to Anzac Day 1922. 

24 April 1922 - The first Poppy Day is held in New Zealand

The first Poppy Day was a huge success, with many centres selling out of their supply of poppies early on 24 April 1922. All up, nearly 250,000 poppies were sold for one shilling each and 15,000 larger silk flowers were sold for two shillings each.

The National Association netted a total of £13,166. Of that sum £3695 was sent to the French Children's League, while the remainder was used by the RSA to support unemployed veterans. This established