Council staff help Monmouthshire Scouts craft poppies to remember fallen soldiers

On Thursday 20^th September Monmouthshire Scouts invited staff and elected members from Monmouthshire County Council to help craft over 100 ceramic poppies as part of their commemorative art project Monmouthshire Remembers. Scout leaders came along to County Hall in Usk joined by some of the youngest members of the Scouting Association all of which were pupils of Ysgol Y Fenni and were on hand to help staff create the unique poppies.

To date, 2000 poppies have been produced by fellow Scouts, Explorers, Cubs, Beavers and Leaders. The poppies created at County Hall are a valued addition, the Monmouthshire Scouts aim to create 2500 by 30th September.

The Monmouthshire Remembers project will commemorate Monmouthshire’s fallen soldiers from the last 100 years. On Sunday 18th November 2500 ceramic poppies will be installed at Raglan Castle for the Monmouthshire Scouts Remembrance Ceremony. The event organisers have collated names of service personnel who have lost their lives in conflict over the last 100 years. It will be the first time ever that those names will be displayed together.

Ceri Carlyon, Monmouthshire Scouts Leader said: ‘We are so proud to be part of such a large-scale commemorative event. We are so grateful for the support that has been shown by the local authority, community groups and schools to help us achieve our aim. I am so excited to see the final installation at Raglan Castle it will be a truly magnificent sight. It will also be very moving to see all the soldier’s names displayed and depict the true heroes of our time’

Cabinet Member for Social Justice and Community Development Cllr Sara Jones said: ‘It was fantastic to host Monmouthshire District Scouts and to learn more about the Monmouthshire Remembers project. I applaud the initiative that has been taken to commemorate our soldiers and very much look forward to seeing the poppies on display at the event in November’

Monmouthshire Scouts are welcoming information from families of soldiers who have lost their lives in conflict. The information will be used to remember the local war heroes of the last 100 years. Contact Ceri Carlyon:  C.Carlyon@monscouts.org.uk

For more information on Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers visit: http://www.scoutscymru.org.uk/