Spectacular Poppy drapes in Hook

Starting outside St John’s church in Hook, 28 drapes comprising more than 18,000 poppies were erected from the hanging basket display poles around the village to mark the Remembrance Sunday. The drapes will remain in place until Hook’s Christmas lights go up, when the drapes will be taken down and stored until next year.

Launched in January 2021, the Hook Poppy Challenge saw hundreds of villagers getting involved in the project as it helped to keep their spirits up during last winter’s miserable lockdown. Villagers really entered into the spirit of knitting or crocheting, while poppies also arrived from all over Britain and even from New Zealand.

The project was made possible under the banner of Hook In Bloom but when more funds were needed as the project grew, Hook Parish Council came to the rescue with a grant as did County Councillor Jonathan Glen from his Hampshire County Council devolved budget. All the red wool was donated by the villagers and the Bridges estate agency was the main collection point.

Hook villagers making poppies

Hook In Bloom volunteer Sue Hinton said: “It has been a wonderful project and we have been so heartened by everyone’s enthusiasm and support.

“The fact that it has been extremely popular has led us to other headaches – finding extra funding, drying and where to store so many drapes. With our initial poppy expectation we decided we could dry them in poly tunnels on the allotments and in garages or roofs. Thankfully we have been supported by Council grants and so we have been able to find other places to dry and store the display.

“We have more poppies and ideas to expand the project next year. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and generous on something Hook Villagers have wanted to do for a long time – a poppy display to commemorate all those who have fallen during past wars and to give us hope for peace in the future. In true Hook style villagers supported the initiative in their droves.”

Initially, the organisers thought if people could make 1,500 poppies it would be brilliant. But when the number approached 5,000 it was thought they would have a superb display.

It went on to cross 23,000, as poppies kept arriving at local estate agents Bridges.

The massive poppy display in Hook

The residents bought bright red wool off the internet to make the poppies, but for those who didn’t like internet shopping, the local newsagents, Trees, stocked batches of red wool to keep everyone going. Those who had to isolate also had wool delivered to their doorsteps, so they could take part in the programme. Some people even had knitting lessons on Zoom.

Then in the summer there was no shortages of volunteers as the village hall was turned into a production line and ‘production line workers’ were kept going in true Hook style with scrumptious homemade cake supplied by Louise of Simple Cakes.

Hundreds of villagers affixed poppies to green gardening windbreak material with floristry wire and by 6pm on the third day, 28 drapes had been made.

The drapes were then mounted on wooden batons ready to be hung on the hanging basket poles in the village and staked to the ground with heavy duty tent pegs.