A COMMUNITY in Coleford’s Parkside created a stunning remembrance display, as a show of respect and as a way to support their hometown.

Gwyneth Jacobs, Barbara Harvey, Christine Fortun, Barbara Baker, Judy Parker and Cynthia Knight, who are a part of Parkside Knitting Club, have been adding new elements to the display for around four years, using around three thousand knitted poppies.

Originally, it began with the blanket of poppies which can be seen on the wall of the communal area. Five of the Parkside community knitted the poppies, while the silhouettes were made by Jane Griffiths of the Forest’s Dial-a-ride.

Regular poppies were used over the years, but deteriorated - inspiring Gwyneth to the idea of a waterfall of poppies behind the silhouettes of an army nurse and soldier. This part of the display is on the green, aside poppies along the walkways.

Christine said: “We’re lucky that we’ve got a centre and a green that we’ve expanded down to this year because Gwyn thought it would be lovely to have this display. We couldn’t have had it on the patio. Somehow, it makes it more complete. Each little part has added to the whole display.”

The display is unique and visually striking - something which the Parkside knitters are very proud of.

Gwyneth said: “It’s fantastic. Beautiful. It means the world to us and I was over the moon. It’s so important to do these things. There are people around Coleford that went through the war - I was around for it! We will never forget.”

Christine said: “We’ve got children and grandchildren and they take on board what we’re doing and it’s instilled with them at school. It shows them there is a bigger community out there that still remembers what went on.”

Next year, the group wants to add the Lancaster bombers to the growing display of community beauty.