Fallen soldiers remembered with commemorative metal poppies

Middleton is blooming with colourful metal commemorative poppies, thanks to an innovative idea by Paula Hickey and Martin Cove.

The idea was borne last summer when watching the news, realising that there were no commemorative plaques like the blue heritage plates specifically for fallen soldiers.

Paula explained: “We’d watched one story about a heritage plaque, which was followed by one about a soldier who had died. I realised we never mark these in a similar with, such as with a red plaque, so it went from there.”

Paula said: “We want these to be permanent and for people to know when they see them that a soldier who died in the First World War lived on that street. It’s been more popular than we thought it would be, and we’ve gone for a three-petal ‘Middleton poppy.’

“The poppies are made by a local guy in Chadderton, and they do add a splash of colour. Our friend Jo came up with this great idea of installing poppies on gates onto these metal brackets.”

She continued: “We’re going to try and get as many up for Armistice Day as we can with the aim of an eventual ‘poppy trail.’ When they’re all installed, people will get a certificate with their soldier’s info so it’s something we’re looking at doing.”

The first metal poppy was installed in May, and around 100 have popped up across Middleton since then in honour of Middleton’s fallen World War One soldiers.

The poppies cost £15 to adopt and can be installed on streets where a soldier died in World War One.  

Alternatively, town poppies are available for adoption on public buildings and businesses, to commemorate those who lived on streets no longer around.

Paula and Martin have approximately 95 street poppies and 90 town poppies left to install.

Paula added: “We’ve had over 1,000 enquiries for poppies, including further afield in Holmfirth, Cheshire and Birmingham but even Australia and Belgium, where a lady from Middleton lives in the house of the fallen soldier.

“We’re on Facebook as Middleton Metal Memorial Poppies and people can message us through the page for more info about adopting a poppy.”

The poppies are made to cost, with profits set to be distributed between the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and the Lee Rigby Foundation.

Adopt a poppy

Email Paula

p.hickey7@ntlworld.com

Or call 0161 653 7709