Knitted poppies a sign of Anzac remembrance for care home
It took six weeks for six residents to create a knitted mosaic of remembrance for Anzac Day at Bupa St Kilda Care Home in Cambridge.
Resident May Dodds, along with local volunteer Jude Bowen, were inspired by resident Marjorie Fromm after she mentioned that the Heritage Museum in Morrinsville has a knitted poppy display that comes out for Anzac, with all the local servicemen listed who served in the wars.
“Marjorie mentioned the display and I thought what a good idea, that sounds just lovely to make,” May (93) says.
May has a personal connection to war as her husband was a World War Two veteran, and her father served in World War One. The smaller knitted poppies were finished in half an hour, with the larger ones taking almost two hours due to the double knitting wool and stitching needed.
Marjorie (91) says she quickly discovered a new method of knitting the poppies to find their unique flower shape.
“Instead of knitting them round, i knitted a strip of wool, then I pulled the bottom strip tight and stitched it up the top. Then I finished it by putting a little button in the middle,” Marjorie explains.
The knitting duo insist the art of knitting came about because they had to knit their own jerseys and clothes for their children too.
Activities Assistant, Loren Riley-Sykes says Cambridge RSA will be coming into the care home on Anzac Day for a one hour service. The service will include wreath laying, hymns and a bugler to play the Last Post.
