A poppy cascade made up of more than 3,200 poppies hand-knitted by community groups and members of the public has been unveiled at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre.
The artwork is the creative vision of Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre’s supervisor Debbie Miles Williams and was created to honour all of those who have served in the armed forces, and those who have lost family, friends and comrades in conflict.
It is made up of 3,204 poppies in a variety of colours, which were crafted in schools, homes, community groups and libraries. Local knitting groups, solo knitters, Heritage Centre staff and former service personnel all picked up their needles to create flowers for the display.
Three sessions were then held at the Heritage Centre, where volunteers came together to complete the community project by adding the thousands of poppies to the cascade netting. Staff members Alison Stafford and Elizabeth Hornsby helped spread the work of the project to local knitting groups and supervised the tie-on sessions. Their hard work amounted to over 700 of the total 3,204 poppies.
While most of the poppies have been knitted in the traditional red, the cascade also features poppies in other colours, each of which has its own meaning. Black represents the sacrifices of Black, African and Caribbean service people and their families, purple remembers animals in service and white represents peace.
The poppy cascade at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre is a truly moving tribute to those who lost their lives in conflict. Each of the 3,204 hand-knitted poppies represents not only remembrance but also the incredible spirit of community that defines Leicestershire.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who contributed their time and talent to create this powerful display. I encourage residents and visitors alike to come and see it — to reflect, to remember, and to appreciate the collective effort that has brought this tribute to life.
Person:Councillor Paul Harrison, Chairman of Leicestershire County Council
The finished artwork was unveiled on Thursday, and how hangs in pride of place in the Upper Courtyard, where it will remain for two weeks. At the end of this period, it will be carefully packed and stored away until it can be reinstalled next year – with the plan for it to grow with more poppies being added every year.
Plans are already underway to encourage more people to get involved in the project and knit poppies for next year’s display, including the creation of a monthly ‘knit and natter’ group at the Heritage Centre, working with more schools and community groups, and reaching out to even more communities across Leicestershire.
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre is open every day from 10am to 4pm.