Over the past 10-months Blackwell Parish residents have collaborated to knit, crochet, loom and rag rug poppies to creative their own yarn version of ‘Blood swept Lands and Seas of Red’ inspired by the iconic poppy installation by Paul Cummings.
On Saturday 9 November 2024 between 10am and 2pm the poppy installation will be exhibited for public viewing outside St. Werburghs Church in Old Blackwell. The church will be open throughout these times and warmly invites people to visit the local remembrance history displays curated by parish historian Tony Mellors as part of the heritage project ‘Home Truths’. Teas, cakes and a free drop-in craft table will also be open on the day.
Greater Creative is a resident led group that joined together in 2019 supported by local community arts organisation Platform Thirty1. Their collective mission is to celebrate and commemorate local people and places that matter to them through the vehicle of creativity.
This remembrance project kicked off 10-months ago with a self-guided ‘crochet poppy pack’ designed by young Westhouses resident Izzy Stocks for people to learn how to crochet and make poppies at home. This concept grew quickly with passion, appetite and commitment across the parish, with meet ups to make poppies being held in community cafes, on kitchen tables, on school playgrounds, in community centres and on lawns. Sessions were hosted by local artists, creatives, volunteers, residents and young leader groups. Many individuals who could not attend face-to-face sessions created poppies at home with doorstep wool drop off and poppy collection by community volunteers across the parish, connecting the community through shared pursuit.
“The project makes you feel connected to something bigger than yourself,” resident who made poppies at home.
“I think it's shown how the community has come together, people have encouraged, helped and supported each other, had a great time, and it’s given them something to look forward to. I think it will give them a massive sense of pride when they see it up!” Greater Creative Working party member (volunteer).
“With all of the interest, we decided to aim for 5,000 poppies as this was an ambitious number – and the community had met that target just six months in! The community drive for the project has been truly inspiring and it was never expected to be what it has become - it’s been a beautiful thing to be a part of. Just a mixture of the yarns and how they have been made means the poppies each have their own little identities and to see these come together as something united really reflects the community here. We’re all very excited to showcase this work with and for the wider community and beyond,” Jodie Cresswell-Waring, Platform Thirty1.
It is hoped the poppies will be on display from 9 November until 26 November 2024. For more information visit the Greater Creative Facebook page (opens in a new window).
