Crafty villagers making clay poppies to adorn parish church for VE Day 75th anniversary

Craftswoman Liz Pearson‎, who runs The Glass Room glass and craft workshops in Leasingham was approached to come up with the idea of getting residents passing by to make individual poppies to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

She has been putting air dry clay (enough to make one poppy) outside The Glass Room since the weekend, complete with instructions, but people can make their poppy as individual as they like.

People make a clay paste to assemble the pieces so that they stay attached when dry and wire is threaded through to attach to the church railings or gates.

She explains: “Once your clay is dry you can paint with red acrylic paint and varnish. If you don’t have this I will arrange a decoration area outside the shop so you can finish your poppy then.”

People have until Thursday to deliver them back to Liz to spray varnish them.

She said: “If you would like your poppy back after the VE Day celebrations please paint your name on the back. There are also plates for you to make your own poppy to display in your window at home.”

People were reminded to conform to social distancing and she has provided aprons and hand sanitiser.

Liz has already received many poppies from children in the village and says she will attach the poppies around the arch at the church gate ready for VE Day.

Zena Anderson from Leasingham’s St Andrew’s Church said: “I will put some flags on the outer door of the church and possibly some other wool crafted poppies. Hopefully we will leave them out for about a week.”

Liz and her daughter Lauren have set up the Leasingham and Roxholm Community Support for Covid-19. Volunteers in the village have been very busy doing essential shops, collecting prescriptions, delivering leaflets, helping local food delivery services and making phone calls to the most vulnerable in the community.

Liz has been running weekly activities for Leasingham and Roxholm families to complete at home, including clay and paper plate challenges.

Lauren said: “Over Easter we asked children in the village to create Easter cards, these were delivered to the most vulnerable people isolating in Leasingham and Roxholm.

“Separately, The Glass Room has been making rainbows to raise funds for the New Life Community Larder in Sleaford, so far raising £320.”

Sleaford’s Town Crier John Griffiths is to record a cry for peace for BBC Radio Lincolnshire which will be broadcast on Friday just after 2pm to launch the 75th VE Day celebrations.

John added: “ I will also be doing the cry for peace at 6.55pm along with over 200 town criers in Britain and around the world at the same time (local time zones).”