All set to cascade from the Town Hall
A GRAND display of nearly 2,500 hand knitted and crocheted poppies will be on display this Sunday, November 11 from the balcony on Loughborough Town Hall.
Back in November 2017, the chair of Love Loughborough BID, Lez Cope-Newman approached Sarah Goode of local independent craft shop, Purple Pumpkin Patch, to commission a project to engage with the local community to knit or crochet poppies which could then be installed as a cascade from a prominent building in Loughborough town centre, much like the Tower of London project.
Loughborough’s local community have been actively knitting and crocheting all year to produce approximately 2,500 poppies, with support from local individuals as well as community groups such as Loros, WI and U3A.
Sarah has been holding workshops at Purple Pumpkin Patch on Ashby Road for people to attend to learn how to knit or crochet the poppies.
Throughout the year poppies have been delivered to Sarah in vast quantities before the cut off date of October 31, when they were all transported over to the Love Loughborough BID office for fixing onto pigeon netting.
The Love Loughborough Team have taken time out to create the Cascade on netting which will then be draped from Loughborough Town Hall’s balcony on Sunday or the WW1 Centenary.
Lisa Brown, Love Loughborough BID manager said: “This project has been emotive and thought provoking, with the whole team getting involved.
“Weather permitting, we are hoping that the Cascade can remain for a few days after the commemorative events.”
Lez Cope-Newman, added: “Each poppy tells a story from every individual who has been involved in this project and we are hoping to continue adding to the cascade each year with the ambition to drape the Cascade from the top of the Carillon Tower in Queen’s Park.”
Love Loughborough would like to thank Purple Pumpkin Patch and all the volunteers who have supported the project and taken time out to create this stunning display.