‘Weeping waterfall’ at Forfar church to mark war’s end.

Thousands of handmade poppies to form eye-catching church display

Thousands of hand-made poppies will cascade down the front of an Angus church as the nation prepares to mark the centenary of the end of the Great War.

St Margaret’s Church in Forfar is creating a “weeping waterfall”, which will be erected in November.

For months church members and the local community have knitted, sewn and crocheted scarlet poppies which will be attached to giant camouflage nets.

They have taken inspiration from the “weeping window” touring display which attracted thousands of visitors to The Black Watch Museum at Balhousie Castle in Perth, plus displays of knitted and fabric poppies in churches in Musselburgh and Gullane.

The Rev Maggie Hunt led a poppy-making session at Tesco in Forfar on Saturday, where members of the public created their own contributions which will make up the feature.

She said: “We have over 3,000 poppies which have been crafted in love by people of all ages around Forfar and further afield.

“Our big job now is to attach them all to the giant camouflage nets.

“We aim to have the weeping waterfall on display from the start of November and there will be reflections to read and postcards to take away.”

The church contacted Padre Mike Goodison at Leuchars and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, who have also embraced the project. Ms Hunt added: “They are going to lend us cam nets to form the base of our waterfall of poppies.

“Royal Scots DG have historic ties to the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry so this is a lovely connection to our display.

“We are grateful for the loan of their camouflage net, reminding us of our historic links to those who continue to serve and give from their lives and the Royal Medical Corps for their smaller nets.

“Thanks must also go to Forfar Legion, who will have a small knitted poppy display, reflecting this larger one, in their garden.”

The waterfall is due to spill down the front of the West High Street building from November 1.

There is one final chance for members of the public to make a poppy at the Forfar legion on October 20 from 10am4pm.

The Rev Maggie Hunt of St Margaret’s Church in Forfar with, from left, Mike Smith of the Forfar branch of the Royal Air Forces Association and Tesco staff Lyn Archer and Kerri Myles.