Tag: Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day display in Cowplain

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Thanks to the creativity of local school children, artwork is on display in a funeral branch’s window to recognise the importance of Remembrance Day.

More than 60 children aged nine and ten helped to draw, colour and craft artwork for the window at The Co-operative Funeralcare – Cowplain.

Funeral Co-ordinators, Jackie Duthie and Lesley Alison, contacted St Peter’s Primary School, in Waterlooville, in the hope they would be able to add some meaning to their window for this year’s Remembrance Day.

Arts Teacher Nina Pearson was more than happy to get involved and each child in Year Five received an invitation stating they had been commissioned to do a piece of artwork.

Each piece of artwork includes a red poppy and was influenced by the poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae.

Nina said: “It’s important to talk about this commemorative event and our history, otherwise we just get caught up in the current moment. This makes you think about the sacrifices which were made.

“We might think we have a few liberties being taken away from us right now but look at the sacrifices that were made 100 years ago.”

The artwork is currently on display in London Road at the funeralcare branch which is part of Southern Co-op – the regional, independent co-operative.

Oil and chalk pastels, pens and colouring pencils were all used in the creation of the display alongside coloured cellophane.

Funeral Co-ordinator Lesley said: “Doing the Remembrance window display is very important to us and we thought it would be lovely for one of our local schools to help us.

“We would like to thank each and every child who took part. They have helped to strengthen the importance of Remembrance Day and we have been really impressed with everything they have created.”

Funeral Co-ordinator Jackie said: “We need to keep the younger generation involved as it is very important for them to remember our past, present and future military personnel and what they have sacrificed for us and what they will sacrifice for us in the future. This should never be forgotten and we should always remember them with great pride.”

Southern Co-op’s colleagues will be marking the important day with a minute’s silence including at its local retail stores.

Tales of a war veteran to mark Remembrance Day

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Stories told from father to daughter to granddaughter are to go on public display in Sturminster to mark this year’s Remembrance Day.

Gay Wilson, Funeral Co-ordinator at The Co-operative Funeralcare in Sturminster, will be decorating the branch’s window ahead of 11 November with the story of her mother and father’s Second World War experience taking pride of place.

Remembrance Day 2019 also marks the 101 anniversary of her mum who was born on Armistice Day and was given the middle name of Peace.

Herbert John Ling and Lilian Peace Ling’s experience of World War Two was written up decades after the fighting had ended – by Gay’s niece as part of a school project.

Gay, who has lived in Sturminster for 21 years, said: “My father always had great true stories to tell us all about the war, some of which we heard a few times, but nevertheless always fascinating to hear.

“This time of year is especially poignant for my family as mum was born on 11.11.1918. She went on to have 11 children starting with my sister who she was pregnant with when my dad joined the army. She was born in 1940.”

Pages of her parent’s memoirs will go on display in the window of the funeral branch in Station Road with the rest available to read inside.

The account includes memories of her father being on a convoy to Malta carrying ammunition and food supplies. The ship was attacked and one of the holds was hit but thanks to some quick thinking and bags of flour, they were able to get into Valletta harbour safely.

On his last ship, Gay’s father recalls the terrifying moments which they were beached off the coast of France just days after D-Day. Lorries were able to unload their supplies but the crew had to wait until the tide came back in before they could get back out to sea.

Gay added: “My father was a hero to me and my family, but we also always remember all of the heroes that fought for us and our Country during both World Wars.”

Poppies will be available in branch with all donations going to the Royal British Legion.

Other displays of remembrance will also be on show at Southern Co-op funeral branches across the south.

To find your nearest the branch, click here.

WWI centenary commemorated

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Window displays of poppies and memories are on show across Portsmouth as a message of thanks to all who fought in the First World War.

Fratton Funeralcare’s Window

The public displays of thanks are taking place at Southern Co-op funeral homes in Portsmouth and beyond.

At the Eastney Road branch in Southsea, a photo is being proudly displayed of Funeral Co-ordinator Sally Chudley’s grandfather who was a sub lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserve during the Second World War.

Sally said: “My grandfather was mentioned in dispatches for the part that he played in the rescuing of troops at the D-Day landings. I have put a copy of the certification in the window with a photo of him in his uniform along with some war poems.

“Lots of people have been coming up to the window to have a look and read the poems which is lovely.”

Eastney Road Funeralcare’s Window

At the Fratton branch in Portsmouth, the window is decorated to remember all those who fought and lost their lives in the war including Funeral Co-ordinator James Wiltshire-Bowles’s Great Uncle.

The display also includes an original copy of The Evening Post announcing that the War had ended, a helmet worn by one of the soldiers and ammunition that was used during the war, along with some photos of soldiers.

James said: “My Great Uncle Private Frederick James Pluck was killed on 1st July 1916 aged 26 on the first day of the battle of the Somme.

“His photo is proudly displayed in the window alongside a presentation tin sent to the soldiers by Queen Mary, which contained tobacco and chocolate.

Bishop’s Waltham Funeralcare’s window

“We had one lady pop in whose father fought in the war. He was one of the lucky ones that came home, he was injured but he made it home.

“She got a bit emotional saying that this time of year he always wept at how thankful he was that he survived but then also for the friends and colleagues he lost. She passed on her thanks that the display had such meaning.”

In Copnor, local school children are helping to decorate the window with images from a drawing competition in relation to Remembrance Day being displayed in the window.

To find your nearest the branch, click here.