Knitted poppies prove a boost for charity

A dedicated member of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin’s line dancing group knitted more than 100 poppies for Remembrance Day, raising money for the Royal British Legion and impressing one of Shropshire’s best-known army veterans.

Irene Lewis attends Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin’s popular line dancing group at Hadley Community Centre in Telford. She knitted the remembrance poppies for members of the dance group and for those who attend the charity’s day centres.

‘Irene’s only request for knitting these poppies was for people to put a donation in the box for the Royal British Legion, as little or as much as they could spare,’ said Claire Fishlock, Service Development Officer for Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin. ‘We raised £49.50 and I put this in the local collection box in Hadley.’

Meanwhile, a smartly dressed gentleman attending a session of the Orchard Singers, another group run by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, showed a great interest in the knitted poppies.

‘The gentleman in question was Mr Kevin Dempsey, chairman of the Shrewsbury branch of the Royal British Legion,’ said Claire. Kevin is one of the most recognisable members of the Legion locally, well known for reading the poignant words of The Ode of Remembrance at outdoor public services each year.

Claire said: ‘Mr Dempsey had been out and about in Shrewsbury as part of a group of servicemen and women, encouraging support for the Legion, and then he had come along to the singing group where he is a regular member.’

‘He asked me where I had got my knitted poppy and I showed him pictures of Irene and her amazing creations. He was very impressed. And so it struck me that here we had two members of two very different groups run by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, a line dancing group and a singing group, both throwing their support behind the importance of Remembrance Day and the Royal British Legion. How lovely is that?’

If you’d like to find out more about Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin’s activities and events for older people, call us on 01743 233 123 or email enquiries@ageukstw.org.uk