Anzac day 2014

What an exciting week it has been for us all.

 On Wednesday 23rd April, the Great Lakes Advocate ran our paid half page ad for the Official Launch of the poppy making workshops and on the same page had photos and an article. This was such wonderful sponsorship and support from our local newspaper and we're very grateful for all they have done to promote the project. This photo doesn't do justice to the page but you can get an idea of it.
 
On ANZAC Day in Forster, Prime TV reporter and news cameraman arrived unexpectedly, about 15mins before the official launch of the project by our Rector, the Rev. Les Forester and the RSL sub-branch president, Mr. Frank Brady. Both of these men and Mrs. Julie Davies, our poppy lady #1, were interviewed and some of the work in progress was filmed. A short clip of all that was shown on the local news on Friday evening. We were thrilled with that of course, and appreciated Prime TV people coming. The text of the opening speeches appears on a separate page of the blog.
The Rev. Les Forester                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Mr Frank Brady

About 50 people came to the first official poppy making workshop and enjoyed making poppies and having delicious afternoon tea provided by the Anglican ladies. Since then we have had more poppies finished and handed in to Julie. Today we now have over 900 poppies!

Here are the poppies spread out ready to be counted - an amazing sight indeed.
 Congratulations everyone for this amazing effort is such a short time.



  Margot was in Melbourne and was able to meet the two women who started the project, Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight, and chat with them, in between their work with people making more poppies.They were holding a workshop in the busy Federation Square from 11-4pm on ANZAC Day. People were  sitting on various chairs in a couple of rows all around the tables which had poppy kits and lots of finished poppies on them too - a great sight. The scene was backed by many poppies 'pinned' onto mesh (used a price tag gun). It was lovely to be able to share news with them.

The photo, above right,shows a beautiful wet felted poppy which Margaret displayed. Photo above shows Margaret Knight, Margot Bilston and Lynn Berry in front of the amazing display of different poppies. Margaret is wearing an unusual necklace of poppies.
 

Tuncurry Bazaar and Craft Fair

Saturday 19th April:  The colourful display at the Tuncurry craft fair today attracted many people to ask about our 5000 Poppies project. We hope many more people will make poppies for us as well as attending the Launch workshop next Friday - ANZAC Day.    There are so many different types of poppies being made - exciting to see. Julie continues to receive emails and phone calls for patterns and more information.

This photo shows - left to right: Diana Woodward, Margot Bilston, Julie Davies, and our rector (Les Forester) as he struggled knitting a poppy today - on his birthday too!

Public exposure

Tuesday 15th April 2014: It's been an exciting few days with interviews with Mayor Jan McWilliams, and with federal parliamentary member, Bob Baldwin yesterday Monday and NBN news coverage today. We appreciated the time our mayor and parliamentary member give to tell them about the project and they were both very supportive. Bob Baldwin also added this photo to his Facebook page as soon as we finished our interview. Thank you.

  Both the mayor and our federal parliamentarian were given poppies to wear. The RSL sub-branch committee members have also been given a variety of small poppies to wear on ANZAC Day this year. Frank Brady, the president, was spotted later wearing his poppy!

Then today NBN news people from Taree came unexpectedly and recorded a short bite for the news tonight. Both Julie Davies and our rector, Les Forester, were interviewed about the project.
We now have over 500 poppies finished too and they looked wonderful mounded on the tables this morning with ladies busily working. NBN included people making poppies at our weekly Crafty Tuesday mornings in the news clip. This is a link to the clip aired last Tuesday night.
http://www.nbnnews.com.au/index.php/2014/04/16/5000-poppies-project-underway/
With 10% now made, we feel the 5,000 target is possible. Another Probus group is also keen to support us after Margot did a presentation to them today

Our start on Poppies

The Forster-Tuncurry RSL sub-branch has also offered to support the project and given money towards the advertising in the local paper, The Great Lakes Advocate. We thank them and are grateful for their  continuing support.

variety of poppies we've made.

Tuesday 1st April 2014  More poppies keep appearing everywhere but we haven't seen them all yet. It's great to know how enthusiastic people in the area are about the project.  This is a photo taken today of some of the completed poppies. 
It would be greatly appreciated if poppies could be handed in each month so we can report a total. It seems there are about 200+ already made but not yet handed in to the Parish Office.
Hours : Mon- Friday 9am - 4pm; Friday 9am - noon  ph 6555 4200

Monday 31st March - The owner of a local craft shop in Tuncurry is setting up a display with our larger poster (enlarged thanks to the Advocate) with knitted, crochet and felt poppies around it as well as some of his memorabilia. The Advocate newspaper has been very generous with reduced price advertisements as well as making 10 large copies of our small A4 poster.

Wednesday 26th March - the article about our project appeared in the local paper, the Advocate, with a photo of some of us busily making poppies. We're hoping the mayor will be joining our rector and the RSL sub-branch president at the public launch of our project on ANZAC Day , but not confirmed yet.


On 25th March 2014, we had 12 women busily making poppies at our St Alban's Crafty Tuesdays - knitting, crocheting and making felt poppies. We have now had 5 Crafty Tuesday workshops where we're busily making POPPIES! There are now about 100 poppies completed and packed up for storage until Feb. 2015. There are many more incomplete or not yet 'handed in' to us (Julie and Margot) The 1,000 black buttons have arrived so it will make finishing poppies easy. The eyelash yarn around the buttons looks so good.

On ANZAC Day this year we will have our parish priest and the president of the Forster-Tuncurry RSL sub branch present at the Official launch of this Community project. 

15th March 2015: Here we are making poppies on our Crafty Tuesdays.           In the photo - left to right: Margot Bilston, Joanne Read, Julie Davies, Lyn Davies, Beverley Christiansen, Enid Ellison and Margaret Burrows - all working on their poppies.            Already the number of finished poppies is growing and more people are becoming involved.This idea came from the Melbourne 5000 Poppies project. The two ladies there decided they wanted to carpet Federation Square on ANZAC Day 2015 with 5,000 poppies. Julie Davies picked up the idea for the Crafty Tuesday group and the idea has grown - supported by many other friends.

The Anglican parish of Forster-Tuncurry is supporting the project by providing funds for the printing and supplies for poppy making as well as the use of the church hall.

Already numerous posters(like the one left) have been printed and laminated and distributed around Forster and Tuncurry shopping areas. Julie and Margot had sore feet after that effort one Monday recently.

Poppies may be left at St Alban's Parish Office, 4 St Alban's Place, FORSTER 2428.
Office hours: Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm