Doncaster residents take part in poppy project for Remembrance Sunday

Residents in Barnby Dun have been helping the congregation at The Church of St Peter and St Paul with the project, which will see an array of poppies hung around the church tower.

An 18-metre cascade of poppies will also be hung from the top of the church tower, trailing across the porch and to the ground, where poppies will also line the path.

The project is the brainchild of Jan Travis and Joyce Wood, members of the church who approached residents via coffee mornings, and members of the Women's Institute to get involved.

Jan said: 'We held an angel project last year for the children, and people were asking if we were doing something else. So we decided on the poppies, and people were asking us when they could knit some. 

'We began in January and it's been nearly a year long project trying to get everyone together.'

Currently, the four garlands for the tower are ready for display, and poppy-makers have made a start on the cascade.

On Thursday afternoons in the Church Hall between 1:30pm and 3:30pm, they will be tying poppies to the cascade and will continue until November 1.

The completed poppies, which are made by knitting, sewing, crocheting and recycling plastic bottles, will then be displayed for everyone in the church to see, and will be blessed in the Sunday service on November 4 at 10am.

Members of the church will be holding an event on November 3 where tea and cake will be served from 2pm until 4.30pm to thank those who have donated their time to make the poppies.

On the day there will also be a display of goods from the Royal British Legion, memorabilia from World War One and World War Two and stories, poems and articles 

Visitors can also take part in the '˜red raffle', with all funds raised being donated to the British Legion.

Jan said: 'It is all red everything, we are raffling prizes such as a bottle of red wine and red wine glasses, a red handbag, and a basket of food where the packets of food are red.'

Remembrance Sunday is a memorial day held to commemorate the contribution of both British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two world wars, and later conflicts.

Memorial ceremonies are usually held on the second Sunday of November, the closest day to Armistice Day.

However, this year Remembrance Sunday coincides with Armistice Day on November 11, and will mark 100 years since the end of World War One. 

The church will hold a service on November 11 where they will be joined by local scouts to commemorate both Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.

The service will start at 10:15am, and visitors will be asked to observe a minute silence at 11.

Jan added: 'People can come either the Saturday afternoon or the Sunday for the service, they can come just to have a look around. Everyone is welcome it's a open house.'