The Power of the Flower:

 Thousands of poppies crocheted to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War

On the 11th November the Reverend Rachel Benson, High Steward of Selby Abbey, joined hundreds of Selby locals as Selby Abbey opened its doors to veterans, cadets, scouts, fire officers, members of St Johns Ambulance as well as representatives from Selby Town Council and the Abbey. 

Since March of last year locals in Selby have been taking part in the poppy knit-a-thon with over 58,000 made by the event. Regular sessions were held at Selby Library from 9:30am and donations of red wool were constantly being given. 

These poppies were attached to cargo netting and then displayed as part of a 5m waterfall that ran down the side of the Abbey’s architecture and lead up to the Squadron Memorial in the Abbey grounds. 

Reverend Benson presented the address on behalf of the Bishop of Selby and themed it around the knitted poppies. She said: “The war cost nine million dead and 6 million injured and fear gripped the nation with guilt among the survivors, the poppy however emerged fragile but living from the abundant soul of conflict.” 

The Abbey was a scene of beauty from the start of the service at 10:00am when the Choir and Clergy entered to the two-minute silence held at 11:00am. 

Young children wearing poppies on their bobble hats coincided with veterans supporting varieties of medals on their chests top respect the fallen. The most poignant moment was at the wreath laying where a young girl around the age of six broke from the crowd and knelt down and stroked the carpet of poppies in respect. 

During the hymns and readings, the acoustics of the church emphasised the amount of emotion and admiration the Selebians had to give as well as in the money collected for The British Legion and local veterans. 

To conclude the ceremony The Last Post echoed around the church as poppies were dropped from the bell tower onto the altar, and the Union flag was raised as a beacon of remembrance. 

Dr John Thompson, 59, The Bishop of Selby, left a message to be read in this he said that the poppy was “The flower of hope, the flower of peace the flower of fragility, as we reflect on this war our challenge is to embrace the power of the flower, fragility was the outcome of the first world war and the poppy symbolises this.”