A west Suffolk community has pulled together to create more than 10,000 poppies for a special display to mark this year’s remembrance anniversary.
People in Sudbury were invited to get involved with a project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War by knitting or crocheting poppies.
The poppies will be hung from the top of St Peter’s Church in the town on a cargo net to create a dazzling cascade – and organisers still need around 1,000 more to complete the project.
Sudbury Town Council launched the campaign in February and since July volunteers have been meeting every Thursday in the town hall to attach the poppies to the net.
RAF Honington donated the cargo net to help create the striking visual effect, which will go up two weeks before Remembrance Sunday.
Jacqui Howells, town clerk, said: “We have received well over 10,000 poppies but still need around 1,000 more knitted or crocheted poppies to cover the cargo net, which has been generously donated by RAF Honington.
“Volunteers have been meeting every Thursday in the town hall to attach the poppies to the net and we are hoping that the public will make a final effort to produce the remaining poppies needed.”
The council is working in partnership with the Sudbury and District Royal British Legion and Simply Handmade – which is based at the Stour Valley Business Centre in Brundon Lane – on the project.
Volunteers can help attach the poppies to the net every Thursday at Sudbury Town Hall between 10am-4pm.
Cable ties are used to attach the poppies so no sewing experience is necessary.
People wishing to help complete the project can download two knitting patterns from the town council’s website at www.sudburytowncouncil.co.uk
The designs can also be collected from the town hall, tourist information centre in the library, or from Simply Handmade.
Last November, more than 5,000 woollen poppies cascaded from the bell tower and over the walls of St Mary’s Church, at Walsham-le-Willows, following a campaign.
Inside the building, 40 poppies were on display to commemorate the 40 men from Walsham who died in WW1 and WW2.
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