Centenary Poppy Display at Lockerbie

During lockdown the Bowling Club Crafters started a project to mark the

Centenary of the remembrance poppy with a display. The ladies could work at

home to make the poppies using various crafts. Two of the ladies are also

members of Corrie SWI and I was pleased to be asked to request help from

members across Dumfriesshire Federation in April.

The display will be many times bigger than anticipated with the help of over

1,000 poppies from “Rural Ladies”. They have been knitted, crocheted, made from

felt and from recycled plastic bottles.

The display will be at Eskrigg Nature Reserve west of Lockerbie on Saturday 13

and Sunday 14 November. (Remembrance weekend). It will include a huge

cascade over the main centre/hide. The crafters are now meeting weekly to sew

poppies on to netting and discuss progress.

Individuals have been working on information and displays to go on 10 posts

around the 3km route. Did you know that white poppies are for peace, purple for

animals of war and black for those of African or Caribbean heritage? Of course

red is for remembrance. Other aspects of conflict will be commemorated including

information about the branches of the armed forces.

The “Rural Ladies” have made superb efforts to support this community project

and I have had fun collecting the contributions from all corners of the region.

Special mention has to be made of the outstanding effort by Jean Gemmell of

Kirkmahoe SWI. Jean can no longer attend meetings but keeps in touch and was

pleased to contribute 140 poppies. There were also groups of ladies from

Canonbie, Lochmaben, St Mungo and Terregles Institutes who sent a great

number with Terregles making 230 poppies. Each poppy represents a contribution

from the SWI to help with such an exciting and worthwhile project.