Garden of remembrance opened in Towcester

Rev Lulu Pelly, Hon J M R Saunders Watson (High Sheriff of Northamptonshire), Richard Dallyn (chairman of SNC), Stuart Richmond-Watson (Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire) Eileen Reid (president of Towcester Evening WI), David Reed (RBL poppy appeal organiser), Sue Hamilton (Towcester Evening WI), Peter Conquest (Towcester Mayor), Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Rev Ben Phillips and Peter Stratton (deputy chairman RBL)

Opened at the start of the Royal British Legion's poppy appeal on October 27, the display was created by Towcester Evening WI’s Gardening Team and some willing helpers while three Towcester schools provided the artwork and larger poppies.

Many members of the community also provided poppies in various sizes, from nursery children, scouting and guiding groups to care home residents.

The WI members then created the Poppy Cascade out of all the beautiful poppies that had been submitted and were helped by a serving soldier to construct the installation.

Towcester's garden of remembrance at St Lawrence Church

The WI team was inundated with so many poppies that they were also able to decorate the interior of St Lawrence Church.

This was further enhanced by the work of local artist, Val Goldfinch, and 10 silhouettes from the “There but Not There” charity.

The poppies in the church will remain on display until November 27 and the Poppy Cascade until the end of the year; St Lawrence Church is open every day from 9.30am to 5pm.

A spokeswoman for the Towcester Community Poppy Project said: "The Royal British Legion, St Lawrence Church, Towcester Evening WI and the School of Life led this project but it is the residents of Towcester who should be really proud of what they have achieved for this season of remembrance.

"The First World War affected every family in our country and Towcester was no exception - out of 247 men who left Towcester to fight in the war, 65 are named on Towcester war memorial as not returning to their families."