AN eye-catching roadside remembrance poppy installation made by crafting villagers is making a striking impression near Lydford and raising charity funds.

Impressed passers-by have been stopping to admire the tall cascade of red poppies rooted in a carpet of red poppies mixed with black poppies, morphing into red and white spotted poppies, then into all-white poppies on the outskirts of the village, between the Lydford Gorge car parks.

Some admirers have also added written poignant tributes attached to the poppies and made donations to the charity Blesma which supports limbless veterans.

The gradation of roadside colours on a post and along a hedgerow bank, represents sacrifice, horrors of war and civilian losses and suffering.

A group of 21 women have finished making 2,000 poppies by various methods and materials including felt and plastic bottles, which have been laser-cut, knitted, crocheted and sewn to create the mini-field of remembrance.

The sculpture has been organised by a group of Lydford women called Shreddies.

Janet Piper, of Shreddies, said: “We are part of the diminishing generation that still has contact with people who remember the world wars. The installation is a group effort making red, white and black poppies to raise money for Blesma. This is our first remembrance project and we’ll do something again as it’s been well-received. The red poppies remember military personnel who lost their lives in conflict. We preferred not to have it in a church, to make it more accessible.

“The white poppies remember the volunteers in the world war efforts, which merge into black poppies remembering the horrors of the trenches and the shared fear caused by bombing of cities. “

Among the poignant tributes was one from Janet remembering two grandfathers Edgar Burley and William Phillott from the Somerset Regiment. They survived being gassed in World War One, so could not serve in World War Two. Also, sisters Gill Bassett and Pat Goldsworthy remembered their dad Frederick Mudge who survived the trenches in Italy.

The Shreddies Justgiving appeal is at this link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/janet-piper-11

Janet Piper, Gill Bassett, Susie Davies, Pat Goldsworthy and Caroline Greep with their Lydford poppy remembrance sculpture raising money for charity.
Janet Piper, Gill Bassett, Susie Davies, Pat Goldsworthy and Caroline Greep with their Lydford poppy remembrance sculpture raising money for charity. (Iliffe Media)
Crafting villagers remember: Janet Piper, Gill Bassett, Susie Davies, Pat Goldsworthy and Caroline Greep with their Lydford poppy remembrance sculpture raising money for the limbless charity BLESMA.
Crafting villagers remember: Janet Piper, Gill Bassett, Susie Davies, Pat Goldsworthy and Caroline Greep with their Lydford poppy remembrance sculpture raising money for the limbless veterans’ charity Blesma. (Iliffe Media)
An eye-catching roadside Lydford poppy remembrance sculpture raising money for the limbless charity BLESMA.
An eye-catching roadside Lydford poppy remembrance sculpture raising money for the limbless veterans’ charity Blesma. (Iliffe Media)