This past Saturday, St Mary’s Church in West Bank, Widnes, unveiled a 131ft cascade of more than 15,000 handmade poppies, created by hundreds of people from across the local community and beyond as part of a project to mark Remembrance Sunday.
Launched ahead of Remembrance Sunday, the project began with a vision to create a cascade of knitted and crocheted poppies flowing down the church’s 108ft tower. Now, almost a year later, the target of 15,000 poppies has been exceeded and the installation is complete. Despite the challenges brought by Storms Austen and Boelo, the community persevered with the installation and unveiling of the display.
Reflecting the words of John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” the display invites the community to honour those who gave their lives in service, remember all affected by conflict and pray for a future of peace.
A Tribute Made Possible by Many Hands
Two contributors in Canada, including one who grew up in West Bank, knitted more than 1,000 poppies between them, weighing 22lbs in total. Churches, schools, the Boys’ Brigade, Girlguiding groups and local businesses have all played their part, alongside Riverside College students, who have created a life-sized war horse and dog, and Gateway Community learners, who crafted three life-sized service personnel figures and a hand-carved wooden pigeon. The project also received a special contribution from the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev. and Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, who made a poppy during his visit to St Mary’s.
Volunteers have worked tirelessly to bring the installation to life, sewing thousands of poppies onto netting donated by West Bank Boat Club to create a spectacular cascade down the church’s 108ft tower. Widnes Fire Service, Widnes Police and the Widnes Vikings Wheelchair Rugby team have all joined volunteers at St Mary’s to help with the enormous task, while John Duggan Funeral Directors has supported the knitting groups with refreshments throughout the year.
Honouring All Who Served
Alongside the spectacular cascade flowing down the 108ft tower, the completed installation will feature a tribute to the animals that served and died during the world wars, including the life-sized war horse, dog and pigeon. Three life-sized handcrafted service personnel figures, created by learners at Gateway Community, will also form part of the display.
Support the Church by Adopting a Poppy
Although the project began as a community remembrance initiative, the response has inspired St Mary’s to launch its ‘Adopt a Poppy’ appeal, inviting people to donate £5 to support the church’s work in West Bank. It costs £28,000 a year to keep the church open and serving the community, with 50 per cent of all donations going to the Royal British Legion to support serving and ex-serving Armed Forces personnel. In return, supporters can receive a handmade poppy, collected at the church’s Christingle Service on 20 December or sent by post.
Rev Michelle Goodwin, Vicar of St Mary’s Church, said:
“This Remembrance Day, more than 15,000 poppies will surround our church in West Bank, forming a remarkable 108ft tower cascade created by hundreds of people aged two to 92. Each poppy represents a person, a story and an act of remembrance. Together, they are a powerful symbol of unity and hope, reminding us of the importance of coming together, caring for one another and working for peace. As a Christian community, we remember those who gave their lives in service, pray for all affected by war and hold on to the hope that love is stronger than hatred. Our prayer is that these poppies inspire people to remember, reflect and, above all, hope.”
