Stunning Poppy memorial wows passers-by in Welby Lane
Lynne Jeffery’s stunning homemade Poppy memorial is causing quite a stir outside her house in Melton Mowbray.
She has created a spectacular cascade made of 2,024 Poppies made from felt to mark this year’s Remembrance activities in the town.
It hangs from her bedroom window on Welby Lane right down to the ground and has caught the eye of many passers-by.
Lynne told the Melton Times: “I did it last year but it only had 570 Poppies in it and was hung at the side of the bay window.
"Everyone was saying how amazing it looked so this year I wanted to make it ever bigger, using last year’s display and adding lots of other Poppies and a netting.
"Lots of people have been telling us how good it looks if we’ve been outside when they’ve gone by.”
Many will know Lynne from her job behind the counter at the nearby Welby Lane Shop and Post Office, where she has worked for 17 years.
She sells her felt Poppies to customers and has worked flat out to get the display ready in time for Sunday’s Remembrance Day parade.
"It has taken up a lot of my spare time,” explained Lynne.
"I started at the beginning of October and I only finished it on Sunday night.”
Lynne has also made bigger Poppies for the horses at the Defence Animal Training Regiment and they will be sporting them with mounted soldiers in Sunday’s parade through the town.
She said: “One of the men who looks after the horses at the camp came into the shop and asked if I could make bigger Poppies for the horses in last year’s parade.
"They looked great and I’ve made some more for them for this weekend’s parade."
Lynne made £140 for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal last year from sales of her Poppies and she hopes to make a similar amount this year.
She added: “I think it is so important that we make the younger generation of the sacrifices of our armed forces.
"I don’t have a military background but we should support the Poppy Appeal every year in any way that we can.”