Bay’s poignant poppy tribute to the fallen heroes
LINES of the renowned poem In Flanders Fields have appeared in Cardiff Bay made out of poppies as part of this year’s Poppy Appeal.
The Royal British Legion used the remembrance flower to bring lines from John McCrae’s poem to life as part of a poignant installation to encourage people to see the poppy as a symbol of hope.
Lines from the poem, which was written after poppies bloomed on the battlefields of the First World War, are appearing all across the UK and in France at poignant locations, including the Dunkirk beaches and the White Cliffs of Dover.
Other locations include the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, Salford Quays in Manchester and outside the Sage in Newcastle.
The verse which can be seen in Cardiff Bay read: Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Fundraiser Claire Rowcliffe said: “The Poppy Appeal 2017 is encouraging the public to recognise that your poppy supports the Armed Forces community past and present, and is a symbol of both remembrance and hope.
“The work of the Legion is as relevant and vital today as it was in the aftermath of the First World War when the charity was founded. The donation for your poppy will help the Legion support today’s Armed Forces community through hardships, injury and bereavements.
“We’re encouraging people to dig deep for this year’s Poppy Appeal to help us raise £47m.
“The Legion’s work is entirely dependent on the public’s generous support – so please wear your poppy with pride.”
This year’s appeal launches with the fundraising target a record £47m.
More than 40 million poppies will be distributed by 150,000 dedicated collectors during the appeal.
This year the charity is calling on the public to “rethink Remembrance” and remember the fallen without forgetting the living.
Last year the Royal British Legion answered more than 1,077,019 requests for help from the Armed Forces community. They use donations to provide crisis grants, research the long-lasting impact of blast injuries on the body, lobby the Government on issues that affect our Armed Forces community, and support sport and art-based recovery programmes.