Golding Resident Audrey Crochets 1000 Poppies
Audrey, a resident of Golding Homes, has been crocheting poppies for us over the last few months for our Poppy Project.
We’re very grateful, proud and excited to have Audrey as part of our knitting and crocheting team, alongside many members of the local community who have been knitting away to help the cause. She has done an amazing job with 1000 poppies under her belt, helping us achieve our 5000 target.
Our 5000 Poppy Project is to commemorate 100 years of the Armistice. Speaking to Audrey about why she wanted to be a part of the project, she explained she wanted to feel like she had given back something to the hardships that were suffered by our soldiers.
Audrey also had family that died during the Great War, that she wanted to commemorate. Her Grandad was gassed in the First World War and was able to return home before he died. This has meant that his grave in Edenbridge Church is the only military grave within the churchyard. Her husband’s brother also passed away during the First World War. Both her Grandad and her brother-in-law have their names on the memorial at Edenbridge and District War Memorial Hospital.
Audrey is a regular at Titchfield Close Day Centre and has spoken before about her childhood which was certainly an interesting one, with long connections with the military. She regaled us with stories of when she lived in Malta during the Second World War as her father was based there. As children playing on the beach and coming across German Soldiers who had crash-landed during one of the many bombings.
When it was time for them to leave Malta, their journey took two months on a mix of airplane with a landing in the desert, a three week stay in Cairo and finally a Cruise Ship home. This was such an amazing story and she has many more to tell.
Sadly her husband died in January this year, so not only did she want to remember her family’s sacrifice but she wanted something to focus on to help her with the loss of her husband of over 60 years.
Audrey had already crocheted 800 poppies when she was talking to her podiatrist about the project. The podiatrist has got other clients who have been knitting poppies and so was already familiar with 5000 Poppies Maidstone. It was the podiatrist who encouraged Audrey to reach 1000.