Ahead of our Remembrance Day fixture with Burnley on Saturday, four members of West Ham United’s U12s squad visited the historic Poppy Factory in Richmond as part of a special educational and community project designed to help young players connect football with remembrance, respect and social action.
The visit formed part of the Premier League Truce Project, which runs annually and builds up towards a qualification tournament at Aldershot Barracks on Remembrance Sunday and the Truce Tournament in Ypres, Belgium, in December.
Since 1922, The Poppy Factory has provided secure and supportive employment for hundreds of veterans, many with mental and physical health conditions. Since 2010, the charity has helped over 3,500 veterans and family members to change their lives through employment support in communities across the UK.
The charity still produces around 100,000 wreaths each year from its Richmond home, including the special wreaths laid at the Cenotaph by the Royal Family on Remembrance Sunday.
Our young players have been exploring the Club’s wartime history, seeking to commemorate those who served and use the power of football to engage with veterans in their local community.
The first part of the project has focused on uncovering the stories of West Ham players who served during the First and Second World Wars. The U12s learned about the West Ham Pals Battalion, who fought in the First World War, and Sam Small, who scored the winning goal in the 1940 Football League War Cup final during the Second World War.
The young Hammers listened to presentations that shared the incredible history of the organisation and explained how it continues to support veterans across the UK, then experienced how each poppy is made with care and meaning, serving as a lasting symbol of remembrance and gratitude.
Our visit marked the third year in succession that the Hammers have supported and paid our respects to the history and ongoing work of The Poppy Factory.
The group was accompanied by Academy Player Care Manager Ian Lowe and Louis Pernice, who supported the players throughout the day’s activities and reflections.
On the experience, Lowe said: “The visit to The Poppy Factory offered West Ham United’s U12 squad a powerful reminder of the importance of remembrance, service and togetherness.
“The players left the day not only with a deeper understanding of history but also with a renewed sense of pride in representing a Club whose values extend far beyond the pitch.”
The group also had the privilege of meeting veteran and lifelong West Ham supporter Matt Weston, who shared his personal story of service and recovery.
Matt spoke with the group about the challenges faced by veterans and the importance of remembrance.
In tribute to those who served, the players designed a wreath using the Club’s iconic Claret and Blue colours and the Club crest.
This act of remembrance gave the squad a chance to reflect on how they, as young players, can carry forward the legacy of respect and community that the Club stands for.
These wreaths will be laid at our home match against Burnley on Saturday and at the Truce qualifier the following day.
Weston said: “It was a very enjoyable afternoon. It's West Ham, and it's a veteran event, so it's two things I care the most about.
“I was formerly a British Army Engineer and specialised in EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), so my job was finding and clearing unexploded bombs.
“I've known for a while that West Ham support our veterans, but seeing the history behind it was interesting, and it makes me very proud as a West Ham fan that we’re continually supporting The Poppy Factory.
"It's part of the community, and West Ham is definitely a community Club, and I know the fans are massively proud of the Armed Forces and what they do.
“The Burnley fixture will be the third year in a row that I've gone pitchside for the Remembrance Day fixture, and it's always one of my favourite games of the year because the atmosphere is very different and quite special.”
Amanda Shepard, Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory, said: “We always enjoy the visits by West Ham, but it was an absolute delight to have the U12s here today.
“They are fantastic, and it's obvious that they really learned a lot.
“I think they got so much out of understanding all about remembrance, the iconic poppy and actually making the West Ham United wreaths this year.
“They made two fabulous wreaths, and we're just really proud that they got to do that on behalf of West Ham and on behalf of The Poppy Factory, and to really show that the younger generation gets just how important it is.
“It's absolutely massive to have a partnership with West Ham, and after that first visit in 2023, we realised just how deep the Club’s roots go in their community and how many served in the First World War, in particular West Ham Pals Battalion.
“The Club is steeped in the tradition of remembrance and supporting the community that gave so much, so for us a partnership with West Ham is absolutely brilliant, and we couldn't be more pleased.”