Poppies tribute in Shrewsbury created by close-knit community
A community group in Shrewsbury has knitted more than 100 poppies to decorate the silhouette soldier statues which stand at the entrance to their new housing development.
Copthorne Keep is a collection of new Bellway homes taking shape on a site which was occupied by Copthorne Barracks from 1881 until 2015.
Five keen knitters from Copthorne Keep Community Group, led by Avi Royle, decided to pay homage to their neighbourhood’s military heritage by hand-knitting the poppies, with each one taking around an hour to make. They now decorate the three statues at the site entrance off Copthorne Road.
Sue Whitcombe, one of the members of the group’s knitting team, said: “I first moved to Copthorne Keep in June, and quickly found that becoming a part of the group was a great way to make new friends and to create and foster a real community spirit with my neighbours.
“The idea to knit these poppies was inspired by our desire to protect and retain the history of the site, which is now home to us all. There were already a number of silhouette soldiers featured around the development when we arrived, so adding to the existing nod to the site’s former use seemed like a great idea.
“As the army had a presence here for many years, it seemed a fitting memorial to all soldiers, especially given the added context of the current war in Ukraine.
“Each of the poppies took around an hour to make, and between all five of our knitters, we have managed to create over 100 to pay our respects to those who fought so bravely for the safety of others.
“We are always trying to make the development as welcoming as possible, so we have also planted a number of bulbs leading up to the communal green, which we hope will give the development some nice spring interest and colour.
“As an active community group, we are now looking forward to a number of events for Christmas to bring people together at Copthorne Keep once more.
Marie Richards, Sales Director for Bellway West Midlands, said: “When we became aware of the group’s intention to decorate the soldiers, we thought it was a fantastic idea and such a lovely touch to pay homage to the former use of the site and those who sacrificed their lives for the safety of others.
“We have helped and supported Copthorne Keep Community Group with donations towards previous events, including a donation to its street party barbecue in August last year, as well as to its Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.
“We look forward to working with the group again in the future, and hope that they can continue to go from strength to strength, helping to nurture a strong community spirit at Copthorne Keep to ensure that it continues to be desirable place to live for all.”
