GALLERY: Whittlesey Poppy Blitz ‘paints the town red’ in poignant act of Remembrance 

Time is running out to see the extraordinary efforts of Whittlesey Poppy Blitz, the organisation behind the town’s annual Remembrance poppy displays. Back for its fifth year running, it has launched a new display location, as well as its tribute to a valiant war animal.

Displays will remain until after Remembrance Sunday on 10th November 2024.

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The Garden of Remembrance remains the centre of activities, with a variety of poppies, knitted military people and other adornments carpeting the grounds, along with the proud purple horse, which will be watching over them all.

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Visitors will also find a new display honouring the sacrifices of another animal that went to war, a piece that students from Peterborough College assisted in creating.

There will be a new showstopper poppy display at Harrington House on the square, as well as decorative nods of respect dotted around the bus station, post boxes, bollards and more throughout the town centre.

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Whittlesey Poppy Blitz depends on donations to continue its important work and support its nominated charities for 2024, the Whittlesey Royal British Legion and the Whittlesey Detachment of the Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force.

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The team has been busy reaching out to local businesses and residents, with a number of sponsorships secured and donations received.

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The team has also been running stalls at the Armed Forces Weekend and the Whittlesey Festival, where a range of beautiful handmade gifts and decorations, as well as poppy-themed items, have been available to purchase.

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This year, the Poppy Blitz team has confirmed that Poppy’s Coffee Bar will be its official poppy seller for the duration of the displays, and the Muffin Oven will also be supporting its efforts with a window display.

Whittlesey Poppy Blitz has this year launched an online donation platform to make it as easy as possible for individuals to support the cause. Just visit www.gofundme.com/f/help–fund–our–poppy–displays to donate.

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Every year the Whittlesey Poppy Blitz team aims to ‘Paint the town Poppy red’, in support of Remembrance and to put Whittlesey on the map.

Year on year the team of volunteers behind the displays have ambitions to grow the event, by introducing new, exciting pieces, and extending the locations across town.

There is a whole lot of work that goes in to preparing for the displays. A host of creative volunteers start work in January each year to help maintain the existing displays and knit or crochet for new features.