Thousands of handmade poppies have been draped down the tower of St Thomas’s Church in Lymington to mark the launch of this year’s Poppy Appeal - one of many heartfelt displays appearing at churches across the nation ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
Volunteers from the Royal British Legion’s local branch spent months crafting the striking cascade, which now flows from the top of the church tower into its garden below.
Legion volunteer Tracy Robertson told the Advertiser and Times the display was “one of my crazy ideas” that brought the community together. “I had this idea and I think together we smashed it,” she said.
The church garden has also been filled with hundreds of poppies surrounding the ‘Lymington soldier’ statue, a wire figure now painted black and wearing a single poppy. Robertson said this was the first year for the cascade but the third for the statue, adding: “It looks so effective.”
Lymington, Hampshire (Premier Christian News)
Remembrance Sunday, which is held Today, commemorates the end of World War One and honours all those who have served and sacrificed in conflicts since. Across the UK, people will pause for a two-minute silence at 11am(GMT) to remember the fallen.
The display, made from around 2,000 poppies, was assembled in sections since February. Local businesses donated materials such as chicken wire and ropes to help volunteers bring the design to life.
After unveiling the display, the legion team sold poppies outside the church, with Robertson raising £700 in donations in a single day to support the Royal British Legion’s annual appeal.
Similar tributes have been unveiled across the country, including at St Colmanell’s Church in Ahoghill, St Matthew’s Church in Richhill, St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Steeple Aston, St Michael’s Church in Broadway, All Saints Church in Baschurch, and St Peter’s Church in Powick - each adorned with thousands of knitted or crocheted poppies cascading from their towers.