St Georges community poppy pebble project is a success
A unique pebble poppy is being created in Telford thanks to five ladies who responded to an online appeal for help.
With the help of local businesses, the group from St Georges decided to start a new project to create a special Remembrance Day memorial at the town’s square.
Harriet Cameron-Turner, aged 31, June Bowie, 56, Louise Brenner, 52, Sarah Ryan, 45, and Catherine Williams, 68, had never met until June had put an advert on Facebook last month asking for people’s help.
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Their efforts come in a response to cancelled Remembrance events this year due to Covid-19 restrictions and concerns over funding for the Poppy Appeal.
Once the ladies got their heads together, it became a real community initiative and the poppy garden idea was born.
In the centre of St. Georges square, poppies started to grow in flowerbeds and that’s what inspired the group to choose it for the perfect spot.
A large pebbled poppy outline has been placed in the centre of the square, and people from the local area and the schools, nurseries and care homes, have been invited to decorate pebbles and place them in the poppy’s petals.
Mother-of-three and Beaver Scout leader Ms Cameron-Turner said they have been wowed by the response so far and in just a couple of days, two of the poppy’s petals have been filled in.
“The poppy is separated into four petals and we are filling each one with stones decorated by local people," she said. "We sent lots of stones to schools and nurseries and even to the care homes.
"The whole community is involved. Obviously we wanted to make St Georges look better, but we had heard about the funding crisis for the poppy appeal and it’s been a really bad year.
"We are not really allowed to do anything or go to the memorials and there won’t be a remembrance parade this year.
'Hard for everyone'
"It has been hard for everyone this year so we just wanted to get the community involved in something positive.”
The stones were donated by Lakeside Garden Centre in Priorslee and also a nearby Wickes.
They have also received donations from the Royal British Legion, as well as permission from Tranter L & Son Funeral Directors to use their land.
Ms Cameron-Turner added: “We have banners, and knitted poppies and signs up. It’s amazing how a little idea turned into a big community project.”
She said their inspiration for the pebble poppy was from the Shropshire Rocks group and helped by the fact that ms Ryan is an artist, who owns Wild at Art in the Maws Craft Centre.
