Scouts to honour fallen with poppy ‘ribbon’ across country

SCOUTS and guides have pledged to plant a “ribbon of poppies” across Britain to remember those killed in the First World War.

The Ribbon of Poppies project is the brainchild of Iain Henderson. “Our idea is to create a carpet of crimson from Land’s End to John O’groats to remember all those killed or wounded in the war,” he said. Mr Henderson and his colleagues from the Memorial Mob are hoping the poppy ribbon will be “a living legacy to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice”.

Hundreds of scout, cub, guide and brownie groups have pledged support, as well as a number of schools. “We’ve had people as far south as Jersey and as far north as the Orkney Islands joining in,” said Mr Henderson. Groups in Cornwall and Norfolk have also pledged to plant poppies.

Harve Symonds, assistant leader of the 2nd Orkney Scouts, was one of the first to get involved in the project.

“Our scouts learn a lot about World War One and Two as Orkney was so involved, and they were asking if there would be anything they could do next year,” she said.

They plan to plant poppies around the scout hut in Kirkwall and a number of homes for the elderly in the area.

“All you need to take part is a packet of poppy seeds or some wild seeds scattered across your land or suitable public places where you can get permission,” Mr Henderson said.

He said the original plan was to grow 700,000 poppies – “one for each casualty from the UK”.

But with hundreds already signed up and an average packet containing thousands of poppy seeds, he said: “I think we’ll just aim for a very long ribbon or a very big carpet.”