ANZAC : LEST WE FORGET

Anzac Week has come and gone in a blur … the one day of year when our New Zealand cousins across the ditch and Australia collectively honour all servicemen and women for their service and sacrifice. It’s a solemn day of remembrance for many of us … and an opportunity to say thank you to those who have served.

We were lucky enough to again have the opportunity to support the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir with their program Requiem on Anzac night … the program was so incredibly moving and St Paul’s Cathedral looked stunning all decked out in our beautiful poppies.

We also created a wonderful display at PHQ – the East Malvern RSL for the Dawn Service … despite the rain it was a beautiful backdrop for the service and the breakfast to follow.

I also had a wonderful opportunity to talk to the Children at Lloyd Street School where my son went to school many years ago.  The children were lovely and made their own wreaths to honour our Anzacs.  So gorgeous and oh so intimidating … all those expectant faces!

And … we held a lovely poppy catch up in Federation Square … It was so much fun to be able to talk to people including many of our veterans about the project.  We may have even garnered a few new knitters/crocheters.   Anzac Day in the city centre is always so special, and I loved catching up with many of the team.

I should also add that in honour of our Anzacs, the Australian Embassy in France planted a stunninghttps://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FAustralieEnFrance%2Fvideos%2F748686835311972%2F&show_text=0&width=560“> 2,500 poppies left in France from our visit to Fromelles last year …. that’s a bit exciting

And our wonderful Rotary Friends at Armentieres in France created two stunning displays at Anzac Day services at the cimetery Cité Bonjean France, the Toronto cemetery in Ploegsteert, Belgium (Australian graves of the Hill 60) and the ceremony for the New Zealanders, also in Ploegsteert. The Poppy carpet was made by our French Rotarian (District 1520) friends. Beautiful.

 

And Hornsby Shire Council created a fabulous wall of poppies which looked amazing.

And these fabulous installations posted by Maureen York in Darwin on our Facebook page.

And then there is the Malaysian contingent … Members of the MANZA The Malaysia Australia New Zealand Association Craft Group, as well as staff and spouses from the Australian High Commission and NZ High Commission Kuala Lumpur have been crocheting, knitting and sewing poppies for a banner which will be displayed at the Kuala Lumpur ANZAC Day ceremony at Tugu Negara Monument and at the Gun Fire breakfast on Anzac Day.  

I love it that our poppy family is growing and growing and that everyone is putting their own stamp on the concept … it’s beautiful to see the many and varies ways our crafty pursuits come together in a wonderful array of Remembrance tributes.

And this week the State Library’s Writing the War Exhibition comes to the Williamstown Library and will be in situ until late June.  It looks like this will be the last outing of this particular exhibition and is well worth a look.  Our beautiful poppies will be playing a cameo role for the duration of the exhibition.