Worthen and Brockton, which recently won the Shropshire Best Kept Village Community competition for the second year running, showed their community spirit by making 1,600 poppies in reply to a rallying call from the local branch of the Royal British Legion.
And it worked, for in addition to the stunning centrepiece of knitted and crocheted blooms, joined and hung from All Saints Church, strands of flowers have been draped over hedges, upright poppies have been staked into gardens and even red paper plates have been transformed into floral tributes.
Denise Renson, a committee member and a key figure in the project explained: “With 2025 marking the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day, and effectively the end of hostilities in World War Two, we wanted to encourage groups young and old to ‘turn the village red” in any way they could. Ann Wilde, vice chairperson and myself were inspired by cascades we had seen and thought this would be a lovely spectacle for our church.”
The poppy waterfall.
Individuals took up the plea as well as members of Worthen Sewing Group – who also embroidered a poppy hanging for the church pulpit, staff and residents at Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home, and pupils at Long Mountain Primary School.
The result is a sea of red throughout the village.
Denise’s husband John even hand-painted 450 poppies which have been placed in the churchyard, some being used as a pathway to the location of two Commonwealth Graves.
The display at All Saints Church.
And together with parish rector, the Rev David Moss and Rob Wass, John also helped attach the netting cascade to the church tower.
Before this Denise, herself, spent three-and-a-half weeks sewing the completed poppies onto the fabric.
Part of the display at All Saints Church.
Her efforts didn’t stop there. She also embroidered special poppy drapes for the altar and altar rails and researched the lives of many of Worthen and Brockton’s war dead.
With her information she made cards detailing their names, regiments and the dates they died, and placed them in the pews.
“I felt it brought their stories to life, and added a more human aspect”, she explained.
“I am delighted with the way the village has responded. Every day there seems to be more poppies being displayed, another pop of colour, another life remembered.”
The Rev Moss added: “By the end of the Second World War, over 25 million soldiers had lost their lives as well as 55 million civilians. In my job I have discovered the best response to grief is not to stifle it but to sit in silence with it.
“It is humbling therefore that the village has responded to the call to remember this year with an amazing cascade of poppies and red throughout Worthen and Brockton. Well done particularly to Denise and John Renson who were the architects for this, as well as Sheila Jones and Ann Jones, who always make the church so welcoming.”
Remembrance Services will be held at All Saints on Sunday, November 9, at 3pm, and Tuesday, November 11, at 11am.
