A Facebook campaign by a man in Huntingdonshire, England, to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War, has led to plans for poppy fields to be sown around the world.
Stanley Kaye’s call for poppies to be planted to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War has received support from local political figures in Britain and from organisations across the globe.
The initially local campaign has led to the donation of 1500 packets of seeds by Unwin/Marshalls Seeds, which will enable schools across the region of East Anglia to create their own poppy fields.
Ed Schofield, Head of E-Commerce at Unwin/Marshalls Seeds called the intiative “fantastic” and that Mr. Kaye had done a “tremendous job”.
“The poppy is a beautiful flower, and anything that helps people to understand why it is a symbol of the conflict and to remember our fallen is very important”.
Speaking to Centenary News Mr. Kaye said that he had been “humbled” by the response to his campaign.
Mr. Kaye “could not believe” how the campaign had grown. The Facebook page is now being used by members to share personal stories about relativeswho fought in the conflict and has led to several collaborative projects between members.
Mr. Kaye explained that an important part of the campaign was educating younger generations: “If these poppies – and questions about their significance – can enagage young people, hopefully they will take a moment to learn about and remember those who died in the conflict”.
Initiatives are also underway in Asia, Europe and North America to plant poppies as a result of Mr. Kaye’s campaign.
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Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News