Helmsdale and district knitters create stunning poppy waterfall for parish war memorial centenary service
A stunning “poppy fall” will be the centrepiece of an event to mark the 100th anniversary of a Sutherland war memorial.
Residents of Helmsdale and the surrounding area have been working for weeks to complete the impressive poppy fall in time for the 100th anniversary of the dedication of Kildonan Parish war memorial on Tuesday, August 27.
And on Sunday, July 28, Bunillidh Church held a service led by the Rev John Chambers to bless the poppy fall.
The church launched an appeal some months ago for knitted and crocheted poppies as well as donations of wool a few months ago after it was decided to expand a small poppy fall created in 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of World War 1.
Church spokesperson Ina Macpherson said: “Many people in our community and far beyond have contributed materials, poppies and their time. We have even had three bags of poppies sent up from Duntocher Trinity Parish Church in Clydebank which is due to close.
“The poppy fall has been taken out to the Helmsdale Hub, the Free Church weekly cafe and also spent a week at Helmsdale Primary to give people a chance to work on it.
“However, it is now too heavy to move around and it is in a room at Bunillidh Church where people meet to work on it on Mondays and Tuesdays between 2pm and 4pm. All are welcome to help.”
There next stitching workshop date is Monday, August 12.
The 100th anniversary service of the war memorial will take place on Tuesday 27 August, when people are asked to gather near the Bridge Hotel between 10.30am and 10.50am for the 11am service at the memorial.
All are welcome.
There will also be displays of old photographs and documents from Garbh Allt Community Initiative ( GACI) and Timespan Heritage Centre. The displays will be in both Bunillidh Church and the Timespan Archive.
