Pride in Paulton, a group of seven volunteers, embarked on a project a year ago to produce their own version of the Tower of London’s ‘Rivers of Blood’.

In October 2017, the group put out a plea and visited various groups around Paulton to explain what they were planning and to ask for help in knitting or crocheting the poppies. Paulton did not let them down – they received nearly 3,000 poppies!

The team has spent the last few months sewing the poppies together and attaching them to the net. On Tuesday, 16th October, the ‘poppy net’ was put up – with poppy jackets put on bollards and poppies put around the Hub, in the centre of the village.

The results are spectacular, and Paulton residents are absolutely thrilled with the result! It is a tribute to all who gave their lives in defence of our country.

A number of purple and white poppies were also received; the purple poppies have been made into a wreath and will be displayed at the vets to remember the thousands of animals that also lost their lives. The white poppies will be used in the Peace Tent at Paulton Parish Council’s WWI event on Saturday, 10th November.

This has been a brilliant Community Project, and our thanks go to everyone who has supported the Pride in Paulton Partnership with knitting, crocheting, supplying wool and putting poppies together to create the display; to Zoe at Café Bombero for keeping us in coffee, and R.J. King, at Farrington Gurney, who donated the camouflage net.

Gail Garlick