More than 20,000 hand-knitted poppies are returning to Old Eldon Square to mark this year’s Remembrance Day.
The poppies, knitted by volunteers from both the local area and around the world, were initially displayed last year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Newcastle City Council have decided to return them to the Square this year. This is due to their previous popularity and the commitment that the volunteers gave to knitting and arranging these poppies.
The poppies are knitted, rather than plastic, which means that they are both reusable and environmentally friendly. They also give members of the community the opportunity to contribute their own personal tribute by knitting one of the flowers themselves. They are to be attached to the railings around the war memorial that sits in Old Eldon Square to create a moving reminder of the lives lost in war.
Last year Christine Hardman, Bishop of Newcastle, described the display as “a sea of love” while Company Sergeant Major Gary Cannon called it “a very poignant reminder of the sacrifice of that generation.”
Volunteers will put up the display for the week preceding Remembrance Sunday. The 10th November Remembrance Sunday parade, which members of the public can attend, will conclude with a service at the war memorial in Old Eldon Square, for which the poppies will be present. After Armistice day on Monday 11th November they will be taken down by volunteers to be reused in other Remembrance Day displays next year.
