Holbeck Cemetery Annual Remembrance Sunday 2021

Are you interested in helping us with this event this year?

• Are you a Company or Business in Leeds 11?
• Can you knit or crochet?

If you can answer “yes” to either of these read on :

For the last few years there has been a well attended annual Remembrance Sunday event taking place in Holbeck Cemetery.This has been supported by various community groups and local people with about 100 plus attendance. A simple service has taken place culminating in the laying of wreaths, poppies and painted memorial pebbles on the Cross of Sacrifice.

From the start it was also felt that a more visual approach could be made by displaying poppies around the cemetery. Councillor Angela Gabriel contacted various local ladies who were delighted to knit poppies through the year ready to be displayed in Holbeck Cemetery during the two weeks in November around the time of Remembrance Sunday. A few thousand have now been knitted by Angela’s Army and up to 2019 had been displayed around some of the trees and over the small gate on Beeston Road. Funding for the wool and other materials used was provided by a grant from LCC Inner South Community Committee and The Friends of Holbeck Cemetery.

Then the year 2020 arrived with all its added problems. The Friends of Holbeck Cemetery were informed by the British Legion that there were to be no parades or mass gatherings that year because of Covid 19. The Friends felt it was even more important than ever to have a bigger visual presence in the cemetery and they were willing to provide the full cost of £500 towards the project.

The knitters were still knitting so we knew we could have an even bigger display than ever before and LCC works department made us some giant poppy templates to be positioned on the cemetery wall that faced onto Beeston Road. These templates were covered in the knitted poppies and included red poppies, a white poppy for peace and a blue poppy to remember animals killed in war.

The display was gratefully received by the local people and many of them took their daily exercise to walk through the cemetery to view the displays. Others noticed them as they drove past or as they used the bus to go to work. People mentioned how it had meant a great deal to them in this difficult time.

This brings us to the original question of how you can help?

We do not know what the situation about groups meeting will be in November 2021 but we do know that we want to expand the displays and installations in the cemetery.

How can you help if you a local Company or Business?

The Friends of Holbeck could apply for a Community grant towards some of the cost but we wondered if some local company or business would like to be part of this important community event and could contribute financially toward the £500 cost . Any small contribution would be welcome and you would be acknowledged .

How to help if you can knit or crochet?

Angela would love to add you to her regular Army of knitters. All materials and a simple poppy pattern are provided free and you can knit as few or as many as you can. Every single poppy is important and will be part of Holbeck’s Remembrance Sunday event in 2021.

Let’s make it a truly local event. If you want to help in any way you can email us.

Councillor Angela Gabriel: angela.gabriel@leeds.gov.uk

Eve Tidswell of Friends of Holbeck Cemetery: roops73@aol.com

Please make sure that the email subject is: “Remembrance 2021”

This post was written by Eve Tidswell

Main photo: Richard Harrison

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