Knitters and crocheters aged from six to 92 aiming to make 4,000 poppies for a Remembrance Sunday cascade from Inkberrow Church bell tower have smashed their target by more than 2,500 well ahead of time.
After advertising the mission on Facebook, in local groups and in church, about 170 people from all walks of life became involved, ranging from vicars to a chimney sweep.
With financial support from Thomas Brothers funeral directors and Hills Ford, miles of yarn, hooks and needles were purchased and the landlord of The Old Bull hosted knit and natter /crochet and chat sessions.
Poppies were left in the rear of the church, the pub and Nu-U hairdressers, some were flown in from Lanzarote, and a group of friends from Cookhill made numerous deliveries of 100 poppies at a time!
The cascade of poppies were in place by October 19, when there was an evening concert with The Bluebird Belles. Throughout half term and during November tea and cake will be available in St Peter’s Church for those visiting the spectacle.
With the cascade sewn up more than two months ahead of schedule, the knitters and crocheters are now using their nimble fingers to create a purple poppy display for the animals lost in war, to go along a wall on the way in to the church grounds.
One of the co-ordinators driving the event, churchwarden Melanie Hart, said:
“Last year Tina, Hill from the WI, and I contacted the priest-in-charge, Ian Perry, quite independently on the same day to ask about doing a cascade. Her connections within the WI and mine within the church soon got things going then many more people within the village became involved and it snowballed. One lady told us how knitting the poppies had helped after losing her dog, which had always sat on her lap at night, giving her a new focus.
“That we smashed our target so quickly and by so much reflects how greatly so many people respect those who fought and fell for our freedom and will do whatever they can to honour them."
