A COMMUNITY has been challenged to come together to form a poignant installation for Remembrance Sunday.

Rev Rachel Noël, priest in charge at St Mark’s Church in Pennington, has set up a poppy making initiative in the parish to create a large visible commemoration for everyone to see.

Since launching the drive last month, more than 600 crotchet and knitted poppies have been created and they are slowly filling up the space in the vicarage.

Both Pennington Infants and Our Lady schools have been tasked with creating plastic bottle poppies that will also be used.

Rev Noël said her vision is to create a display out of the poppies reading “we will remember them” to go along the hedgerow by the church.

“I did something like this in my last parish,” Rev Noël said.

“For me it is a great way to engage with the community.

“We have such a long hedge and I wanted to come up with a way we could use it to create a special display.

“We put out a notice and already have at least 600 poppies, which is quite a lot to have.”

In the coming weeks all of the poppies will be used to create the timely display on the hedge, which runs along Ramley Road.

Backing has been given to the project by local shops, schools and pubs.

“The hedge is the bit people will walk past and see in the village. We plan to have the display starting at the end nearest to the shops,” she said.

“Not everyone comes into the church, but everybody walks, drives or cycles along Ramley Road.

“We want the display to be a real community effort, with everyone feeling like they are part of it.

“My hope since coming to the parish earlier this year has been for the church to be there to support everyone in the village.”

Rev Noël is working to ensure soldiers from Pennington who were never recognised on the war memorial can be added in the 100th year since the conclusion of the First World War.

She added: “We have got a few names missing from our war memorial.

“We’re in discussions with getting permission to have them added to the war memorial. The British Legion have helped.”

Children from the village’s schools are also due to attend a special Remembrance service the week before November 11.

Rev Noël said she is keen to ensure the church attempts to provide all age groups with the opportunity to pay their respects.

“It is a really important time and the church can interact with all members of the community. This is something very worth coming together for,” Rev Noël said.

Yesterday the church held a community churchyard clear up. Volunteers from the church, Pennington Social Club, the Musketeer, Tesco and others all gave their time. The effort was organised to ensure the area looks at its best for Remembrance next month.