Town centre shoppers will be seeing red tomorrow (Saturday, June 14) as knitters are taking their Petersfield Poppy Project outside.

Christine Rushton and Rosemary Roberts are behind a project that will see a waterfall of knitted and crocheted poppies draped over St Peter’s Church.

The “waterfall of poppies” to commemorate 80 years since the end of WWII will be the backdrop for the town’s November Remembrance service.

People can learn more about the project this Saturday as participants will be knitting and crocheting poppies in St Peter’s Church Yard from 10am to midday.

Members of the Poppy Project, town criers and supporters attend the launch at the Saturday market in Petersfield, Jan 2025
Members of the Poppy Project, town criers and supporters attend the launch. (Michelle Monaghan/Tindle)

The event is part of Worldwide Knit in Public Day with Christine urging visitors to learn more about the project and the benefits of knitting.

She said: “Worldwide Knit in Public Day was started by Danielle Landes in 2005 to promote knitting as an activity for all ages and not just for Granny!

“Twenty years later she has succeeded.”

“The poppies are pouring in and we have close to 5000,” added Christine in an update on the poppy project.

“However, keep knitting as an additional plan is forming!

“We are delighted with the response from the Petersfield community but we are still meeting residents who have not heard of the project. We need to shout louder like our Town Crier.”