Pillar of Poppies at Lion Yard for Remembrance Day

As part of Remembrance Day commemorations at the Lion Yard shopping centre in Cambridge, a Pillar of Poppies is adding to the sombre meaning of the occasion.

The project, a labour of love for nearly a year by deputy centre manager Gemma Carelli, consists of nearly 1,000 hand-knitted poppies, each created by Gemma and her mother.

Gemma said: “I wanted to create something that captures our respect and remembrance. Every poppy represents the honour and sacrifice of countless individuals who have given so much for our freedom.

“The former centre manager at Lion Yard was very passionate about Remembrance; he served in the Army and he introduced the Remembrance service at Lion Yard a few years back.

“I told him my idea of dressing the pillar with poppies and he agreed to display it.”

Gemma notes that she took up crocheting “as a hobby during the lockdown in 2020”.

She said: “On one of the crochet Facebook groups that I follow, I saw a display of a cascade of poppies coming out from a window into a garden.

“This gave me an idea, to dress the central pillar in the shopping centre where I work.”

Gemma says that her idea has been very well received by the centre asset team. “I started the project in November 2023, crocheting nearly 1,000 poppies, also with the help from my mum, Mary,” she said.

“In terms of how it has been received, I am informed that it is catching lots of attention in the centre, and on Facebook groups I’ve had more than 300 reactions and comments so far.

“I have received lovely comments by the tenants and the customers of the shopping centre also.”

There will be a Remembrance service at Lion Yard at 11am on Sunday (10 November) with the Salvation Army Band.