A COMMUNITY group in Coleford have been working hard knitting hundreds of poppies to form a special display for Remembrance Sunday.

Residents from Parkside Age Exclusive Housing used their free time during lockdown to craft 1,000 knitted poppies to form a banner and four wreathes to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

The idea came from Parkside & Friends group organiser Gwyn Jacobs and several Parkside residents pitched in to craft the banners and wreaths, which will be displayed outside the group’s meeting centre to coincide with Remembrance Sunday in November.

The group also put together a poem to explain their project, called ’One Thousand Poppies’.

The poem reads: "It all started with an idea, We all Gave a sigh! Gwyn’s ideas meant work, But we’ll give it a try.

"Kintted poppies for Remembrance Day, Gwyn wanted a display, To grace the wall of the centre, What could we say?

"We were still in lockdown, So no groups could meet, Decisions were made, And a target to reach.

"One thousand was the aim, knitting needles in place, Gwyn was ready, and started at a pace.

"Judy started on the centres, And sewed everyone, Together they kept counting, Hoping they soon would be done.

"68 one-hundred-gram balls, A bit less of black, Goodness how many stitches, We didn’t keep track.

"Ruth cut the chicken wire, And measured it well, Attaching the poppies, Who’d be volunteered you never could tell.

"Cynthia and Barbara, Were Handed the task, Of placing and tying, It was quite a big ask.

"But we did it, a big sigh! We made wreaths as well, Will it be admired, Only time will tell."