Join The Poppy Factory as it celebrates its centenary in Richmond with a series of special autumn events.

The charity will host an afternoon tea at the visitor centre of its historic factory building in Petersham Road, where guests will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour and meet today's factory team making hand-crafted Remembrance wreaths.

Refreshments, freshly baked cakes and scones will be served to guests at the September 24 event, which will raise funds to help veterans and family members make progress on the path to employment.

Tickets cost £50 and are available at poppyfactory.org/visit

The event will be followed on Saturday 26 and Sunday and 27 September with a unique celebration weekend at Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway.

The railway's historic Darent locomotive, first commissioned in 1903, will take visitors around the picturesque Hanworth Loop track, with a specially recorded audio commentary about the story of The Poppy Factory and a display of the giant wreaths that are used in Remembrance services each November.

The Poppy Factory's historic Richmond site has supported veterans and their families for 100 years (Credit: The Poppy Factory)

A lunchtime cavalcade of historic trains will help mark the occasion and there will be cakes, refreshments and limited edition gifts on offer.

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Advance tickets are available at https://hkwr.hops.org.uk/tickets/poppy/poppy1

The Poppy Factory is also running ticketed discovery sessions in its visitor centre throughout September, October and November.

Funds raised through centenary events will go towards The Poppy Factory's national Veteran and Family Services, which last year supported more than 1,200 veterans and family members on the path to employment.

Amanda Shepard, Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory said: "Reaching our centenary in Richmond is an incredibly proud moment for everyone connected to The Poppy Factory. For 100 years, this site has been a place of opportunity — supporting thousands of veterans and their families to build new futures after service.

"While our roots are firmly in Richmond, our work today reaches veterans across the UK, and our commitment to them has never been stronger. As we look ahead, our centenary is not just about celebrating our past, but about renewing our promise to be there for the Armed Forces community for generations to come."