FOR THE SECOND consecutive year, a community group in Yate has come together to unveil a heart-warming memorial of crochet poppies to mark Remembrance Sunday and remember the region’s fallen heroes.
The community group, with the support of local housebuilders and partners, has revealed the poignant installation at one of its flagship developments in Yate to commemorate the contribution of British military and civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
A Remembrance Trail throughout Ladden Garden Village also serves to honour the service and sacrifice of those who lost their lives fighting for their country.
Hywel Snook, associate vicar at Yate Parish and member of the Ladden Garden Village Community Group will lead a walkabout at 2pm on Remembrance Day, Sunday 12 November, to quietly remember and pay his respects to the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.
Residents and members of the community are invited to meet outside the David Wilson Homes sales centre if they’d like to attend the walkover, where it will start from the playpark on the corner of Clark Drive and Matthew Road.
This will be at the entrance to the joint developments between David Wilson Homes, Barratt Homes and LiveWest in Leechpool Way, where streets are named after soldiers from South Gloucestershire who died in the first World War.
Esther Pickup-Keller, a Community Group member, was instrumental in designing the poppy installation.
She said: “We received such a terrific reaction to the installation last year that we knew we had to do it again.
"While we managed to reuse a lot of the poppies from last year’s installation, we had to make many more as the development has grown significantly over the past 12 months and we wanted to decorate the new areas with crocheted poppy wreaths.
“We’ve been lucky that we’ve had a ten-strong group of volunteers busily crocheting over the past few months who have produced the most fitting tribute to those who are no longer with us.
"I hope residents and the wider community come out in force to remember this fallen this Remembrance Sunday.”
Over the past year, Live West the largest housing association in the South West, has supported the Community Group with some funding for their activities, this has included the poppy memorial display.
Marie Burke, Community Connector for LiveWest, said: “This year’s event is the culmination of efforts from a wide range of people and organisations. Barratt Homes Bristol and Barratt David Wilson Homes South West funded the Remembrance banners and trail, while members of the Community Group have crafted poppies.
“We’re proud of our community's efforts in making this a success, honouring those who have served us. I hope residents of the development, as well as those from the wider community, will join us in celebrating the ultimate sacrifice of Yate’s service personnel."
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