Poignant poppies to mark the centenary of the outbreak of The Great War

Plant a poppy this march / April to mark outbreak of WW1 on August 4, 1914

August 4, 2014, marks the centenary of the war’s outbreak and locally in HHTC is working with the community ‘to support the commemoration and coordinate events that will be taking place’.

The Town Council together with local businesses is planting a commemorative poppy area at the rear entrance to Sainsbury’s in Burrell Road.

Mayor of Haywards Heath Cllr Sandy Ellis said: “I would like to thank Sainsbury’s, the Nuffield and many of the independent businesses on the Burrell Road business park who have sponsored the World War 1 memorial garden and who will have helped create such a beautiful legacy to mark this significant event.”

The Burrell Road World War One memorial area will be opened on the August 4 by the Mayor, as part of the wider commemorative activity.

In order to extend the poppy memorial in Haywards Heath, The Town Council has donated a packet of poppy seeds to each of the schools in the town, so that local children might have the opportunity to plant their own memorial poppy garden at school.

Mayor of Haywards Heath Cllr Sandy Ellis has also opened the opportunity to local residents as she explained: “I hope that local residents may like to mark the centenary too, by planting a small area of poppy seeds in your garden or outdoor space this March and April”.

Seed packets are now available from the Town Council reception for a voluntary donation to the Royal British Legion.

In addition to the Burrell Road memorial area and poppy seed donations, the Town Council has been working with the Royal British Legion and St Wilfrid’s School, who together plan to plant memorial wooden crosses in one of the flower beds on Muster Green.

The Royal British Legion and St Wilfrid’s School hope to specifically commemorate past students of St Wilfrid’s School who were lost in World War 1, by planting a cross for each of them.

The Town Council is also planning a civic church service for Sunday August 3, and has also met with Haywards Heath Community CIC who are planning a service for Monday August 4, culminating in a candle lit vigil to Victoria Park and lighting of the Town’s beacon.

If you have any ideas of how the Town could further commemorate the centenary, they would very much like to hear from you.

You can contact the Town Council by emailing [email protected] or telephone 01444 455694.