LOCAL crochet group, The Barkham Hookers, will be making poppies in Wokingham.
They will be in the poppy shop, ready to crochet poppies in store.
Gaynor White, from the Barkham Hookers, says: ”We have a lot of pre-made poppies already, but we will be happy to make bespoke ones too.”
Anyone with a military button can bring it to the store, where the group will create a poppy specially for them, with the button at its centre.
“If their parents were in the war, families may have kept their military buttons.
“We can make something special to remember them by.
“Or people may have buttons that they no longer want or need.
“We would love to receive them to use them to make more poppies to sell.”
“Sometimes when an old garment is thrown away, the buttons are kept.
“And Granny may well have a box of these buttons on a shelf somewhere.”
As well as red poppies, the group will be selling crocheted bobbles and hairbands, and purple poppies for pets, with a tag to go through the bridle or leash.
Purple is the colour for remembering animals in the services.
“We also have a rather special gonk queen,” says Gaynor.
“She was made to decorate a post box, and wears black buttons to remember the Queen.
“She will be auctioned in a blind sealed auction, and will go to the highest bidder.”
A children’s area will be available in store, too, where youngsters can make their own poppy and take it away, or draw a picture of a poppy to be put up on the wall of the shop.
Last year the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal raised just under £60,000.
Gaynor hopes that, despite finances being more difficult for everyone this year, the appeal will be successful this time too.
On Thursday 27th October the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will be officially launched.
Wokingham’s poppy shop will open at 10.30 that day, and will remain open until the end of the Poppy Appeal on Saturday, November 12.
The shop is in Peach Place, in the unit that previously housed The Blue Orchid café.
The Barkham Hookers will be at the poppy shop every day during the appeal.
For more information about the crochet group visit: Barkham Hookers Charity Group’s Facebook page.
