Crochet poppies are family effort
A new crochet poppy display at Ibstone church is the work of just one family in the village.
Toby Long and his son Clarence, aged eight, created the display after being inspired by the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War earlier this year. The duo crocheted 200 poppies including purple, white and black versions to represent animals lost in battle, those who stand for peace and the contribution made by people from black, African and Caribbean communities, as well as the more traditional red ones.
Toby explained: “In our village the official war memorial is actually in the school. It is a wooden board in one of the old classrooms in the old building, in a classroom which Clarence was taught in for two years. So we did some research and looked at the different poppies and thought it would be nice to do something for the church.”
Toby and Clarence have worked all summer to put the poppy tribute together.
Toby added the activity had become quite mindful for him, with something crafty for him to focus on in the evenings.
Thanks to the research of another Ibstone resident, the village service will be include something about each of the four men who went away to war and did not come home.
Villagers create 6,000 poppies for church cascade
Crafty residents in Steeple Aston have spent the past year crocheting, knitting and sewing 6,000 poppies to be pa
rt of a new poppy display at the church.
The flowers form part of a 75ft long blanket which cascades 65ft down from the church tower and 10ft onto the grass below. The display was planned in recognition of the 80th anniversary of end of the Second World War, this year. Working groups were set up for volunteers to gather and sew all the donated poppies onto a net to be hung down the building.
Churchwarden Eileen Baglin-Jones said: "Yes it is remembrance but at the same time this project has united people and people have come together in the village to produce something. It has fostered some community spirit. There have been some really interesting conversations too. When your head is down and you're concentrating on your sewing, secrets, jokes and conversations have been shared."
Eileen doesn't know how many people have contributed their poppies to the display as many left their crafty donations anonymously. But she's aware of at least 40 people who signed up to help, making the project a real community effort. They also created a poppy hanging on the south door, and a cross on the chancel door of the church which can be seen at a distance. Poppy displays have also been placed near to the homes of the people who are named on the village's war memorial.
Once the cascade was created, the creators needed the help of the church's bell-ringers to hoist the fabric into place. It is hoped the poppies will now become a regular fixture for the village's remembrance commemorations.
Firefighters on hand to put up poppy display
A net made up of more than 500 poppies has been installed at Buckingham Parish Church, thanks to the help of the local fire brigade.
The poppies, first displayed two years ago, have become a focal point for Remembrance commemorations in the town which regularly attract around 1,000 people.
Vicar, the Revd Will Pearson-Gee said: “It is really important that we mark Remembrance Day. It is even more important now when we are sleepwalking in to a war around Ukraine. We need to be reminded of just how dreadful war is and that is should be avoided at all costs.”