Knaresborough schools and Royal British Legion team up for Remembrance Day display
Thousands of poppies have been hung and planted at Knaresborough Castle
Last updated 11th Nov 2021
The Knaresborough Branch of the Royal British Legion have teamed up with local schools to celebrate the charity's 100 year anniversary and to remember our soldiers lost in World War One and World War Two.
The charity, with help from five Knaresborough schools, hung and planted over 30,000 poppies across the Knaresborough Castle grounds to create a 'Field of Poppies'.
Branch Chair, Alan Pitchfork, said:
"We decided it would be a good idea to reuse the poppies from the wreaths on the memorial and have the children of Knaresborough create their own poppies and plant them in the Castle grounds.
"The first year we did this we did maybe three or four trees and we couldn't do anything last year. Now we're in our third year for the RBL 100 year anniversary and it's a magnificent sight.
"The British Legion were hit hard during 2019 with the lack of fundraising and events but the ladies were busy knitting throughout 2020 so we have all the poppies out finally.
"The charity is as needed now as it was in 1914, 1918 but we need the younger members to come forward to remember the past sacrifices and support the charity as they grow up."
WATCH: Knaresborough schools and the RBL displaying the poppies
Students from five Knaresborough schools crafted their own poppies to plant in the Castle grounds. This included Aspin Park Academy, Meadowside Academy, St Mary's, Knaresborough St John's and the Forest School.
"They sacrificed a lot of things so they can make our lives better. They had to go through a lot and those who did come back were never really the same." - Rosie, Aspin Park Academy.
"We want to show St John's School is a part of this community. It's special that we can give the soldiers some gratitude." - Lucas, Knaresborough St John's.
"It is important the people that fought in the war so we can pay our respects to the people that died for us." - Sophia, St Mary's.
"We made paper poppies and then we've been putting them in the ground to remember those who died in the war." - Dylan, the Forest School.
"We've been learning about what the different coloured poppies mean so the red one symbolises all the people who died in conflict and the purple poppy represents all animals." - William, Meadowside Academy
As last year's Remembrance commemorations were more low-key as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Knaresborough Branch of the Royal British Legion wanted to come back and celebrate the centenary with a display bigger than ever.
They launched their Knit 4 Knaresborough project in 2019 with the hopes of expanding the collection of poppies year on year.
Today (Thursday 11 November) at 11am the Knaresborough Branch of the Royal British Legion will mark Armistice Day at the town’s war memorial.
On Remembrance Sunday a church service will be held at St John’s Church at 9.30am followed by the parading of the Knaresborough Royal British Legion standard. This will finish at the memorial where a short service will be held at 11am.