Yarnstorming Poppies in the Park

What are we doing?
In May it's Craft & Design Month 2015 which celebrates crafts across the UK, and with your help, Deborah New & I plan to make a giant red and white yarnstormed poppy installation for Rowntree Park, York to commemorate the First World War and to hope for peace.

Why are we doing this?

Rowntree Park was gifted to the City of York in 1921 by Rowntree & Company as a permanent memorial to the Rowntree Cocoa Works staff who died or suffered during the First World War and as a public park for the benefit of  York people.  One hundred years on, we are now in the midst of events commemorating WW1.

One of the memorial plaques in the park says:

 “This park and the adjoining playing fields were given to the city by Rowntree & Co. Ltd at the close of the Great War (1914-1918) as a tribute to the memory of those members of the company’s staff who at the cost of life or limb or health and in the face of indescribable suffering and hardship served their country in her hour of need. Many were inspired by the faith that this war might be the end of war – that victory would lead to an enduring peace and to greater happiness for the peoples of the world. The creation of the League of Nations will be a fitting crown to the faith and hope of the men who have fought and a true memorial to their endurance, heroism, comradeship and sacrifice.”

Remembering those who died or suffered through war whilst hoping for peace is therefore an intrinsic part of the Park’s existence and we hope our installation will encourage both thoughts of remembrance (red poppies) and peace (white poppies). 

One of our workshops is also in Voluntary Arts Week 2015 (15-24 May).  This is an annual celebration of cultural creativity across the UK & Republic of Ireland.  At our poppy making workshops, there will be knitting, stitching, pompom making, finger knitting, arm knitting & knitting with very large needles.  We hope to be doing some felt making* too!  

Workshop Dates

Tuesday 12 May 2015 – The Golden Ball Pub 
2 Cromwell Road, York, YO1 6DU 
19:00 – 21:00

Saturday 16 May 2015 – Tesco Community Room * 

Tesco, Askham Bar, Tadcaster Road, York, YO24 1LW 
10:00 – 12:00 

Tuesday 2 June 2015 – Rowntree Park Café 

Rowntree Park, Richardson Street, York, YO23 1JU 
14:00 – 16:00

Drop in – all materials provided

Want to join in but can't make a workshop?
If you can't get to any of the workshops but still want to be involved you'll find some Poppies in Park knitting patterns and details of where to send your finished poppies if you click on the link.

Knitted poppies

When will the installation be up?
The Poppies in the Park installation goes up in Rowntree Park on Thursday 11 June (by the tennis courts, near the cafe) and will be on display until after the Rowntree Park Birthday Party on Sunday 12 July 2015.

And afterwards? 

After the installation comes down the poppies will go for fundraising purposes.  The red poppies will go to the York Branch of the Royal British Legion, who provide financial, social and emotional care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces - past and present and their families and the white poppies will go to the York Friargate Quaker Meeting to be sold to raise funds for the Peace Pledge Union who campaign for a warless world.

Want to see what we've done before?

Yarnstorming Event in Rowntree Park

Knit a Bike Yarnstormed Installation

The Poppies in the Park project is sponsored by the Friends of Rowntree Park, Boyes & Duttons for Buttons