Warwickshire children encouraged to take part in poppy picture appeal

Children across Warwickshire are being encouraged to take part in a poppy picture appeal.

Due to the impact of Covid, Remembrance Sunday is going to be different this year.

To help show community spirit, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are asking children from across the county to get creative by painting, drawing or colouring in a template of a poppy for firefighters to showcase in their fire station bays and windows, just as they did with the Rainbows earlier in the year.

Tim Sargent, head of prevention for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We know that this year has been hard for people in so many ways and it will be difficult for us all to come together physically as a community for Remembrance Sunday.

"However, we would still like to show our support and appreciation to the Royal British Legion, which is why we are asking all budding artists to get the crayons, felt tips or paint pots out and create their very own poppy picture to help us cover our bay windows.

“All those who enter will be put into a prize draw and we will pick three lucky winners from each district in a live draw event.

"Each winner will receive a Blaze Bear with a poppy on to mark the occasion.

Cllr Andy Crump, portfolio holder for fire and rescue and community safety, said: “Every year the nation unites to make sure that no-one is forgotten and to remember and honour those who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom.

"So, what better way to mark the occasion and bring a real community spirit to the day, than to ask the children of Warwickshire to create pictures of poppies which can be displayed in fire stations across the county to help fire crews to mark Remembrance Sunday.”

Poppy pictures can be sent directly to fire stations or sent via the station social media accounts for the crews to print off and display.

Parents and guardians sending in the pictures are asked to include the name of the child, their age and contact details, so they can add their them into the prize draw.