NOVEMBER is always a very poignant time of the year, with Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, and the town of Holsworthy will be commemorating this and the centenary of the end of the First World War with a number of events.

The town’s commemoration of the end of the First World War began back in September when they held a large event in Stanhope Park.

Their next ambitious project was to cover the town in poppies in time for the centenary.

Preparations have included a lot of crafting, as many people from the town banded together to turn Holsworthy into the ‘Poppy Town of Devon’. Knitted and handcrafted poppies line the streets and the Holsworthy Women’s Institute have decorated the Lych gate and railings of the parish church whilst Mary Beckford made a large poppy which has been situated on the west door.

The town square has been decorated in equal fashion, with town councillor Jo Heaven and town council handyman George Wilcox creating four cascades of red, out of poppies and wooden crosses, which have been draped over the pump.

These, and the many other hand made decorations adorning the town’s shops and streets have created a fitting tribute for the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Mayor of Holsworthy Jon Hutchings said: “The support from the town has been amazing, houses, shop windows, the town square, the pump, the school bridges, the church and the town’s Memorial Hall have all been decorated.

“This has been a huge community effort with poppies being knitted, made from wood, plastic bottles, card and many other materials and then collected to create commemorative displays around the town.

“We have had overwhelming support from not only individual but groups such as the Scouts, the schools, the WI and many others.

“The town council have worked on the pump in the middle of the Square and it really is an amazing effort and such a fitting tribute to those who died during WW1.”

On Remembrance Sunday, November 11, and Armistice100, a number of services will be held from 9.30am in Holsworthy Parish Church.

At 10.55am the parade will gather in Holsworthy Town Square and from 2.30pm for 2.45pm a march off, parade and service, will be led from the Square to the parish church.

Later that day, at 6.55pm, the Last Post will be played outside of Holsworthy Parish Church and at 7pm the ‘Lighting of the Beacon’ will take place to coincide with those happening across the UK, and at 7.05pm the town will take part in ‘Ringing Out for Peace’, where church bells will be rung across the nation.

Services will also be held at 10.50am in Bridgerule and Pyworthy parish churches.

Mother Elizabeth Burke is encouraging all to attend the commemoration services being held in the area to say thank you and remember those who died in conflict. She said: “This year on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as we commemorate 100 years since the end of World War One, and we think about all the lives lost in the many wars and terrorist acts, we are encouraged to say ‘thank you’. Thank you to those that sacrificed their lives, thank you to those that carried on producing food and other services, thank you to those that cared for the injured, thank you to all who went before us and gave us the lives we have today.  

“As a child we are taught very early on to say please and thank you (or ‘ta’). It becomes a natural part of daily life, but sometimes it’s good to take some time in our lives to really recognise what we are thankful for. If we are not careful our prayers are full of pleases and not many thank yous. On Remembrance Sunday there are many opportunities to say thank you.”