MORE THAN 1,000 poppies are covering a war memorial in Swallowfield this week.
To mark Remembrance Day today, villagers have been making knitted and crocheted poppies to place on the memorial.The project started in August this year, to bring the community together post-lockdown, and has been led by All Saints and the parish council.
The idea came from Barbara Stanley, church warden at All Saints, who saw a similar display elsewhere.
“We have an active Remembrance service,” Ms Stanley explained. “People all over the parish have been involved.
“A lot of people have worked pretty hard on it. There has been such a variety of poppies.
“Some skilful knitters have produced really beautiful ones from complicated patterns.”
All were welcome to create a poppy from a range of patterns suitable for novices or experts.
A non-knitter herself, Ms Stanley said she has made around 25 for the display.
But some residents have made bundles.
Swallowfield parish clerk, Liz Halson, made 190, with some other residents delivering 60 to 70 poppies for the display.
“For some, it’s had quite a therapeutic effect,” Ms Stanley said. “It also provided an outlet for a lady who lost her husband to covid and another who is nursing a spouse with dementia.
“We have sewn them all onto backing, and this will be cover about 3.5 metres of the memorial. I didn’t think we would have this many.”
For each poppy, Ms Stanley hopes to raise £1. So far, they have raised more than £550.
The display will be kept for the parish to use in subsequent Remembrance services.
To donate to the fundraiser, visit: www.justgiving.com/team/SwallowfieldCommunityPoppyProject
