Heddington and Stockley’s striking poppy display has been expanded this year to reflect village life during the Second World War, including a tribute to the Women’s Land Army.
His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Dame Sarah Troughton, visited St Andrew’s Church in Heddington today, Tuesday, 27th October, to see the display and meet those involved.
The gathering was hosted by Liz Woodlands, the Royal British Legion and the village of Heddington as part of the Remembrance period.
The cascade of poppies flowing down the church tower was created last year, when the community came together to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
What began as a plan to make 3,500 poppies grew into a village-wide project, with around 7,000 eventually made by residents of all ages.
This year, the display has been extended with silhouettes of Women’s Land Army workers, known as Land Girls, alongside a horse and other animals, reflecting the area's farming heritage and the role agriculture played during wartime.
The cut-out shire horse and Land Girl were made by Barry, who met Dame Sarah during her visit. The figures represent the role played by women and animals in both the First and Second World Wars.
Land Girls took on a wide range of jobs, from ploughing fields and planting and harvesting crops to milking cows, shearing sheep and caring for livestock. They also carried out jobs such as repairing fences, digging ditches and catching rats, often working outdoors in all weathers.
Seven Land Girls either lived or worked in Heddington, including Mary Lloyd, Kath Summers, Muriel, whose details remain unknown, Ivy Walker, Ellen Howman and Alice Lumley.
The community has also traced the grandchildren of Edith Bolingbrook, one of the Land Girls who was evacuated from Hastings to Heddington during the war.
The display brings together the familiar cascade of handmade poppies with these additional tributes to the people and working life of wartime Britain.
Cakes were served inside the church, where the Lord-Lieutenant and those attending gathered after viewing the display.
Want to know what’s on in Calne? Visit our local events page for listings and to find out how to add your own events for free. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news. Have you got a story for us? Email editor@calnenews.com.
