Dear Blogger
WHY POPPIES FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
The poppy is the enduring symbol of remembrance of the First World War. It is strongly linked with Armistice Day (11 November), but the poppy's origin as a popular symbol of remembrance lies in the landscapes of the First World War.
Poppies were a common sight, especially on the Weston Front. They flourished in the soil churned up by the fighting and shelling.
Artificial poppies were first sold in Britain in 1921 to raise money for the Earl Haig Fund in support of ex-servicemen and the families of those who had died in the conflict. They were supplied by Anna Guérin, who had been manufacturing the flowers in France to raise money for war orphans. Selling poppies proved so popular that in 1922 the British Legion founded a factory - staffed by disabled ex-servicemen - to produce its own. It continues to do so today.
This year there was the most wonderful display of poppies on the field on the hill opposite Brownhill House. I am told that this is because farmers these days do not spray to kill every `weed` in creation - Poppies love to grow on turned over ground, not in lawns.
BUY YOUR POPPY AT RUYTON STORES OR CAFE ELEVEN and wear it with pride for those who were lost
