Queen Camilla visited the Poppy Project in Corsham, Wiltshire, adding the final knitted poppy to a massive display commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The Queen engaged with volunteers from the Peacock Women's Institute and community members who created the striking memorial installation at St Bartholomew's Church.
The project far exceeded expectations after the Peacock Women's Institute launched it earlier this year with a goal of creating 10,000 poppies. Instead, they received over 31,000 hand-knitted and crocheted poppies from contributors across the UK and internationally. Pippa Owen, secretary of the Peacock WI, said: "People have been posting (the poppies), we've had big packages from all over the UK, Scotland, Isle of Wight, but also from Canada, Los Angeles, Germany, Netherlands, it's mad."
Royal Engagement
During her visit, Queen Camilla joked with volunteers: "You've got poppies coming out of your ears" while praising the community effort. She called it a "lovely idea" and noted: "It's so lovely because it's all the generations working together." The Queen also laid a wreath at the church's First World War memorial.
Community Response
The project resonated deeply with participants who connected it to personal family histories. Owen explained: "And people just loved it because their grandfather or father might have been in the war, and it's just brought this really nice feeling to a lot of people. It's their act of remembrance." Maggie Bowden, who knitted a special wreath for the Queen, said: "It's quite an honour, actually, she thanked me twice for the wreath,"
The displays will remain in Corsham through Remembrance season and the community will preserve them as an asset for future commemorative events.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
