Thousands of hand-made poppies will cascade down the front of an Angus church as the nation prepares to mark the centenary of the end of the Great War.
St Margaret’s Church in Forfar is creating a “weeping waterfall” which will be erected in November.
For months church members and the local community have knitted, sewn and crocheted scarlet poppies which will be attached to giant camouflage nets.
They have taken inspiration from the “weeping window” touring display which attracted thousands of visitors to The Black Watch Museum at Balhousie Castle in Perth and displays of knitted and fabric poppies in churches in Musselburgh and Gullane.
The Reverend Maggie Hunt led a poppy-making session at Tesco in Forfar on Saturday where members of the public created their own contributions which will make up the stunning feature.
She said: “We have over 3,000 poppies which have been crafted in love by people of all ages around Forfar and further afield.
“From our Playtime tots to kids in Rainbows, Brownies, Beavers and Scouts to older folks at our Senior Circle group.
“Our big job now is to attach them all to the giant camouflage nets.
“We aim to have the weeping waterfall on display from the start of November and there will be reflections to read and postcards to take away.”
The church contacted Padre Mike Goodison at Leuchars and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who have embraced the project.
Mrs Hunt continued: “They are going to lend us cam nets to form the base of our waterfall of poppies that we intend to attach to the front of our church building for November.
“Royal Scots DG have historic ties to the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry so this is a lovely connection to our display.
“We are grateful for the loan of their camouflage net, reminding us of our historic links to those who continue to serve and give from their lives, and the Royal Medical Corps for their smaller nets.
“Thanks must also go to Forfar Legion who will have a small knitted poppy display, reflecting this larger one, in their garden.”
The ‘waterfall’ is due to spill down the front of the West High Street building from November 1 in a spectacular display.
The Rev Hunt concluded: “We are hoping that, once they go up on the front of the church, they will catch the eye of anybody passing and will make them think about what remembrance means and those who have given their life in service, and those who are still giving their life in service.”
There is one final chance for members of the public to make a poppy at the Forfar legion on October 20 from 10am- 4pm.
The weeping window display at Balhousie Castle in 2016 featured several thousand handmade ceramic poppies which poured out from a high window at the castle.
The breath-taking sculptures were initially conceived as the key dramatic sculptural elements in the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London in the autumn of 2014.
