GREAT LAKES 5000
POPPIES PROJECT
A Great Lakes Community Project of Respect and
Remembrance
These have been immortalised in the words of the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ which Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915, beginning:
‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row’
Between the crosses, row on row’
Since
then, the poppy has become a symbol of remembrance as well as of great loss in
war and hope for those left behind.
The
original 5000 Poppies project began in Melbourne in 2013 for the Federation
Square ANZAC Day ceremony 2015.
Julie Davies thought the poppy making would be a good project for the Crafty Tuesday craft group and with help of Margot Bilston started on the project at St Alban’s Anglican Church Forster. It's now called the Great Lakes 5000 Poppies project. Julie and Margot have been joined by Joanne Read and Enid Ellison running these Tuesday groups and the monthly workshops to which everyone in the community is invited. Our aim is to make 5000 hand-crafted poppies to be placed at the War Memorial in Tuncurry and other local War Memorials on ANZAC Day 2015 and also at the rededication ceremony of the newly refurbished War Memorial in Tuncurry on 22nd February 2015. The local Forster RSL Sub Branch is enthusiastic in its support of our project.
Julie Davies thought the poppy making would be a good project for the Crafty Tuesday craft group and with help of Margot Bilston started on the project at St Alban’s Anglican Church Forster. It's now called the Great Lakes 5000 Poppies project. Julie and Margot have been joined by Joanne Read and Enid Ellison running these Tuesday groups and the monthly workshops to which everyone in the community is invited. Our aim is to make 5000 hand-crafted poppies to be placed at the War Memorial in Tuncurry and other local War Memorials on ANZAC Day 2015 and also at the rededication ceremony of the newly refurbished War Memorial in Tuncurry on 22nd February 2015. The local Forster RSL Sub Branch is enthusiastic in its support of our project.
We
envisage these poppies will form a stunning visual tribute to Australian
servicemen and women who have served for more than a century in all wars, conflicts
and peacekeeping operations.
We
are asking you to help by making one or many poppies. They can be crocheted, knitted, felted or
sewn from any materials. One or more of the poppies that you make can be
dedicated to a loved one.
It
is appropriate that our first poppy making workshop and the official launch of
this project was on
ANZAC Day, Friday 25th April, 2014 at St Alban’s Anglican Church Hall, St Alban’s Place, Forster.
There will be poppy making workshops throughout 2014 and early in 2015 on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 10am till 12 noon at St Alban’s Anglican Church hall. All residents of the Great Lakes, visitors to our beautiful area, members of local craft groups and all local Churches are invited to join in this project to make “Fields of Poppies” for Anzac Day 2015. Please come along and make our monthly workshops a success.
ANZAC Day, Friday 25th April, 2014 at St Alban’s Anglican Church Hall, St Alban’s Place, Forster.
There will be poppy making workshops throughout 2014 and early in 2015 on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 10am till 12 noon at St Alban’s Anglican Church hall. All residents of the Great Lakes, visitors to our beautiful area, members of local craft groups and all local Churches are invited to join in this project to make “Fields of Poppies” for Anzac Day 2015. Please come along and make our monthly workshops a success.
LEST WE FORGET
ALL POPPY MAKING WORKSHOPS are held at:
St Alban’s
Anglican Church Hall, St Alban’s Place, Forster
No bookings required … just bring along your red 8ply yarn and hooks/needles and join us for a cup of tea and some poppy making fun.
No bookings required … just bring along your red 8ply yarn and hooks/needles and join us for a cup of tea and some poppy making fun.
The next workshops dates are from 10am - noon on:
2014 12 August 2015 13 January
9 September 10 February
14 October 10 March
14 October 10 March
11 November 14 April
9
December
When poppies are finished, firmly
attach your written dedication to the back of your poppy, (if doing any dedication) and leave your
poppies at:
St
Alban’s Parish Office
4 St
Alban’s Pl. Forster, 2428 Phone 6555 4200Hours: Mon- Thurs. 9 - 4pm; Friday 9 - noon.
We know there are lots being made - congratulations to all you wonderful poppy makers.
For
further information, please
phone Julie on 0429433330
or email 5000poppiesgreatlakes@gmail.com
We are in association with the 5000 Poppies Federation Square Project in Melbourne
Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight started the original 5000 Poppies project for Federation Square in Melbourne for ANZAC Day 2015. Lynn tells us more about this community tribute which has now spread throughout Australia and New Zealand. Many thanks to Lynn & Margaret for their wonderful efforts in getting this project going. You can read more about their project at: http://5000poppies.wordpress.com/
The following piece has been written by Lynn Berry.
While on many levels putting a number on our poppies that relates to WWI is an attractive concept because of the looming Anzac Centenary ... the 5000 Poppies project is a tribute to ALL of our service men and women, their families and those affected by war ... Marg and I have never wanted to make this tribute just about WWI ... and in fact, the project started as a very small 120 poppy tribute to our fathers who both fought in WWII (mine in New Guinea, and Marg's in Europe). So even though the display date corresponds with the Centenary Commemoration ... and it has taken on a life of it's own in many areas, it is important to remind ourselves that while the ANZAC Spirit may have been born at Gallipoli, that spirit continues to run through the veins of our military today, and over the last 100 years , there have been more than 100,000 deaths, many many more wounded and many many more affected ... over all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. So while many of our contributors are dedicating their handwork to their ANZAC ancestors which is fantastic ... your individual motivation for getting involved in the project is a very personal thing. And in reality the number of poppies is incidental to the sentiment behind our rather mammoth undertaking. Congratulations to you all for a job incredibly well done ... let's keep going and see where this takes us. But know that in the end ... this is a COMMUNITY tribute of RESPECT AND REMEMBRANCE ... and it WILL be amazing.
We are in association with the 5000 Poppies Federation Square Project in Melbourne
Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight started the original 5000 Poppies project for Federation Square in Melbourne for ANZAC Day 2015. Lynn tells us more about this community tribute which has now spread throughout Australia and New Zealand. Many thanks to Lynn & Margaret for their wonderful efforts in getting this project going. You can read more about their project at: http://5000poppies.wordpress.com/
The following piece has been written by Lynn Berry.
While on many levels putting a number on our poppies that relates to WWI is an attractive concept because of the looming Anzac Centenary ... the 5000 Poppies project is a tribute to ALL of our service men and women, their families and those affected by war ... Marg and I have never wanted to make this tribute just about WWI ... and in fact, the project started as a very small 120 poppy tribute to our fathers who both fought in WWII (mine in New Guinea, and Marg's in Europe). So even though the display date corresponds with the Centenary Commemoration ... and it has taken on a life of it's own in many areas, it is important to remind ourselves that while the ANZAC Spirit may have been born at Gallipoli, that spirit continues to run through the veins of our military today, and over the last 100 years , there have been more than 100,000 deaths, many many more wounded and many many more affected ... over all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. So while many of our contributors are dedicating their handwork to their ANZAC ancestors which is fantastic ... your individual motivation for getting involved in the project is a very personal thing. And in reality the number of poppies is incidental to the sentiment behind our rather mammoth undertaking. Congratulations to you all for a job incredibly well done ... let's keep going and see where this takes us. But know that in the end ... this is a COMMUNITY tribute of RESPECT AND REMEMBRANCE ... and it WILL be amazing.
