A WORLDWIDE campaign by a Rake woman to cover a Belgian church in knitted poppies to mark the centenary of Armistice Day has been a major success.
Thousands of knitters around the world responded to Lady Emma Crofton’s plea to make a poppy for St George’s Memorial Chapel in Ypres.
More than 15,000 were sent from knitters as far afield as Argentina and Australia before being glued to 90 square metres of artificial turf with “enough glue to sink a small rowing boat”.
The stunning installation was suspended from the church tower with the remaining poppies being attached to garden netting and fixed to railings along the side of the chapel.
The poignant First World War-themed installation was blessed last Wednesday by the Area Dean of Belgium and Luxembourg, the Rev Stephen Murray, with assistance by the Vicar of Dunkirk, the Rev Philip Edell.
“This has been achieved thanks to the help of literally thousands of volunteers,” said Lady Crofton, adding: “Thank you to all those who supported me and enabled me to create my vision.
“Apparently the people of Belgium have never seen anything quite like it before. It has been described as the talk of the town and people are literally queuing to take photographs of it.”