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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, November 12, 2020
REMEMBRANCE 2020
Borough pays its respects – from a distance � A DISPLAY of knitted poppies has lit up the entrance to The Bradbury Centre in Wokingham. Part of Wokingham Methodist Church, the project was created by its members. Marion Heath, who was its mastermind, said that the idea came during the 2018 commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. “The church ladies responded with enthusiasm as always and I distributed various patterns and supplied the central black button which I was able to buy in bulk,” she said. “We had an overwhelming response and the Church and Cafe Mosaic were decorated with them all for the weeks leading up to Remembrance Sunday.2018.” As the knitted and crocheted creations had had so much work, Ms Heath wanted to ensure that they would be appreciated in future years. “They were kept in storage,” she explained. “This year is 100 years since the British Leghion was set up. We had hoped to commemorate this year, but unfortunately, the church is in lockdown. The poppies are on display on the windowsills and porch areas of the premises for the public to see from the outside.” This is not the only project that church members have been working on. Ms Heath said that she has been appealing for knitted and crocheted garments including squares hats and blankets. These will go to Sierra Leone via the Maidenhead branch of Soroptimist International, a worldwide volunteer service organisation for women who work for peace. “The items I have collected have been phenomenal in quantity and I am currently working out how to get them to Maidenhead for the next cargo ship delivery at the end of this month,” she said. “The response from members to the various appeals I have made to them over the years through Girl Guiding service projects overseas has been amazing. “We are richly blessed with our church community.”
A small number of Arborfield residents combined their lockdown daily exercise with a two-minute silence at the war memorial. Social distancing was in force throughout
Twins Finlay and Oliver Hicks, patrol leaders in Polehampton Troop, laid a wreath on behalf of 1st Twyford Scouts on Sunday afternoon
At 11am yesterday, Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Malcolm Richards and Deputy Mayor to fallen soldiers. The socially distanced workplace gathering was held at Shute End
� Resourceful churches in Twyford and Hurst managed to share their Remembrance Day service and wreath laying ceremonies by going online. Clergy from St Marys, Twyford, St James, Ruscombe, Twyford United Reformed Church, St Thomas More RC Church, Twyford and St Nicholas, Hurst all contributed to a service broadcast live on YouTube on Sunday. Videos of wreaths being laid at St Marys, St James and St Nicholas war memorials, along with Sunday’s Remembrance service, at the THRU-
St James Church in Finchampstead hosted a garden of remembrance where villagers could leave poppies and crosses
Christ YouTube channel www.youtube.com/channel/UCnCAP9SvIlZJDeIDiA1L7A. Some wreaths were laid before the recent Covid-19 lockdown. Duncan Steele from St Mary’s has been praised for his video editing skills which he used in the Remembrance project. Since last Thursday’s new lockdown church-going has been restricted to visits for individual prayer, funerals or related events for someone who has died, or, in exceptional circumstances, weddings.
Betty, resident at Care UK's Parsons Grange, helped to create a sea of poppies to honour Remembrance Day
� Residents at Care UK’s Parsons Grange, on Westall Street in Shinfield, marked Armistice Day by creating poppies in memory of friends and family who have served in the armed forces. Made out of felt, some of the poppies have been added to the silhouette of a soldier in the home to form a sea of poppies, while others have been sold to the community. All proceeds will go to Help for Heroes which provides counselling and support for veterans and their families to help them recover. Ruth Halls, Home Manager at Parsons Grange, said: “We wanted to do something special to mark this year’s Armistice Day and to remember those who have served in the armed forces, including some of the residents, and their friends and family. “While creating the poppies, residents reminisced about their younger years, providing a wonderful opportunity for everyone to share stories of growing up in wartime Britain. “We’re thrilled with the result of their hard work, and all for a very good cause.”
