Its team of 41 Armed Forces veterans hand assemble more than five million poppies and 12,000 wreaths every year, but now Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory (LHPF) can add another feather to its cap after becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer.
The commitment by LHPF to the Living Wage will ensure that all staff – regardless of whether they are direct employees or working on a third-party contractual basis – receive a minimum hourly wage of £8.45. This rate is significantly higher than the statutory minimum rate for over-25s of £7.50 per hour introduced earlier this year.
Charlie Pelling, Manager at LHPF, said: “We are delighted to be formally recognised as an accredited Living Wage Employer. This demonstrates our continuing commitment to providing dignity through work to disabled ex-Servicemen and Servicewomen who might otherwise struggle to find meaningful employment.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, added: “The real Living Wage is one of the key tools at our disposal to help make an impact on levels of in-work poverty in Scotland. There is a strong business case for paying the Living Wage, but, crucially, it allows those in work to become more included in society, better provide for their families, and feel that their value and hard work is recognised by their employer.
“We are delighted to congratulate Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory on becoming a Living Wage employer, joining the growing movement of 800-plus companies in Scotland who want to go further than the government minimum and recognise that Living Wage accreditation is the mark of a responsible employer. I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming accredited.”
More than 25,000 people in Scotland have had a pay rise thanks to the real Living Wage initiative and 820 employers headquartered in Scotland have become accredited. The accreditation programme in Scotland, which was launched in April 2014, is an initiative from The Poverty Alliance, in partnership with the Living Wage Foundation, and is funded by the Scottish Government. The real Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually, and is calculated according to the real costs of living.
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Notes to editors
- For further information please contact David A. Findlay, PR Manager at Poppyscotland, on 0131 550 1580 or 079797 35611, or email at findlay@poppyscotland.org.uk
- For more information about Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory please visit: http://www.ladyhaigspoppyfactory.org.uk/
- For more information on The Poverty Alliance please visit http://www.povertyalliance.org/, and for the Scottish Living Wage go to http://scottishlivingwage.org/
Poppyscotland provides life-changing support to the Armed Forces community. Money raised from the Scottish Poppy Appeal and Poppyscotland’s year-round fundraising enables them to deliver support to members of the Armed Forces community in Scotland by providing tailored funding and assistance. The charity also funds services in advice, employment, housing, mental health, mobility and respite. Please note that we are known as “Poppyscotland”, and not “PoppyScotland” or “Poppy Scotland”. For more information, please visit us at: www.poppyscotland.org.uk
