A group of women with hearts as soft as the wool they knit are turning the town red – or at least part of it.

Needles have been clicking furiously in Petersfield as part of a special VE remembrance project to cover the porch of St Peter’s Church with 6,000 knitted poppies.

Organisers hope the “waterfall of poppies” will be completed in time for the November 2025 Remembrance service in The Square.

And there’s been a wave of enthusiasm since its launch, with another 20 knitters being recruited thanks to a recent push in Festival Hall.

The “community lady knitters” boosted their bid with a promotional and fundraising push at the recent Easter Charity Market with sibling organisers Jeremy and Martin Holmes giving the “wonderful project” a free stall.

Christine Rushton, who is helping to lead the project, said the team have now made more than 3,000 poppies with family, friends and “friends of friends” joining the effort.

She said: “Word is spreading and this is a great community project.”

Organisers want the project to be all-inclusive and have called on schools, brownies, scouts, guides, bellringers and other community groups to get knitting.

The knitted or crocheted poppies will be attached to netting to produce a waterfall effect, with the resulting edifice providing a spectacular and poignant backdrop to this year’s Remembrance service.

There are several ways to get involved, with a Petersfield Poppy Project ‘Knit and Natter’ taking place in the church meeting room on the third Monday of every month.

The next will take place from 1pm to 3pm on Monday, May 19, with organisers giving yarn for poppies for the suggested donation of £1.50.

Patterns can be found at http://stpeterspetersfield.org.uk, for more information about the project and how to get involved call 01730 267512.