More than 10,000 handmade poppies are to be released from the top of the church tower of St Mary’s, Battle, in an installation to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
The poppies will be attached to an 84ft net stretching down to the foot of the tower, to resemble a stream of tumbling flowers. The unveiling will serve as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made during all wars, while celebrating the strength of community spirit today.
The unveiling will be attended by the Air Cadets, local dignitaries and many of the volunteers who have helped to create the poppies.
The stunning, large-scale installation has been the result of 10 months of collaboration between the church, community groups, local shops, schools, care homes, veterans’ organisations, adults with special needs and individual residents who each contributed poppies to the project.
Poppies have been crocheted, knitted, cut from hand-dyed felt or stitched from fabric, and the feat of engineering to roll out the poignant display has been masterminded by churchwarden Phil Collins.
Project leader Angie Duckett said: “So many hours of love and hard work have gone into this beautiful display. Many friendships have been formed and I think the most moving thing is looking at each individual poppy, remembering each life that was either lost or enormously impacted by the war. This is an act of love, honouring those who have gone before us.”
Everyone is warmly invited to attend the launch, which will take place outdoors in St Mary’s churchyard from 2pm (weather permitting). The event will include a short dedication, the playing of the Last Post, and the opportunity to see the installation up close for the first time.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, 1st November 2025
Time:2pm
Location: St Mary’s Battle, Upper Lake, Battle, TN33 0AN
Admission: Free – all welcome
Website: www.stmarysbattle.org.uk
This poignant display will remain in place for the first two weeks of November, offering visitors a space for reflection during the season of remembrance.
Image Credits: St Mary's Battle .