Introducing the Red Widow

We always remember the women in our services and those who worked on the land and in our factories through the displays and many artefacts we hold here.

An idea was hatched to create the Red Widow but not just to remember all the women who lost their husbands, but I thought it was very fitting to remember all the mothers who lost their sons.

However having an idea is one thing the execution of it is another, at the time I did not realise the grand scale of this project.

First off I would like to thank all the volunteers for all the hours weeks and months actually bringing it to completion.

It was started over 2 years ago, put away and brought out again, again and again. But we are like British Rail we got there in the end.

Logistically it was a bigger task than one first thought, ie collecting poppies along the way de leafing them, getting a mannequin to suit creating the dress and then the cape and adding electric lighting to illuminate her.

We reckon as she stands now between 6 to 8000 poppies, possibly a lot more as we did lose count after 6000.

We would also like to give all of you who collected up their poppies and sent them to us since the request went out.

They are in there hundreds and are included in this memorial, which makes this tribute even more special.

It also makes it more significant and poignant as some of these poppies were worn by you over remembrance and or at your churches and remembrance events, so again to all of you thank you for contributions we couldn’t of done without you.

Remembrance is not just the 11th of November our veterans remembered every day.

Share away folks and let’s see how far she will go

Together We Will Remember Them