Poppy panels adorn church

A poppy cascade will be draped on the outside of the tower at a Keynsham church to honour the war dead. Keynsham in Bloom partnered with Keynsham Royal British Legion and St John’s Church to create the eye-catching display. The project has been dubbed “Knit to Remember” and over the last few months residents and community groups have knitted and crocheted more than 14,000 poppies. Women have helped to hand stitch the poppies onto netting at several workshops over the last months. Four panels each measuring four metres by two metres now hang down the outside of the tower, together with an additional four panels which form a carpet of poppies on the grass. Among those who contributed to the project were 100 poppies sent from a woman in Ireland, while one of the knitted poppies was taken over to the Falkland Islands by a Falkland veteran, as a result now one of the island’s resident has promised to knit a new poppy each year. Keynsham in Bloom has also handed out knitted poppies to local traders who will be putting together displays in their shop windows. A further 89 large wooden poppies have also been made for each of the 89 First World War fallen from Keynsham. These will be placed in front of the church. Grenville Jones from Golden Oldies is holding a commemoration concert tomorrow at the church where local children and residents will sing well known war songs.