BARBARA Tansey’s house is awash with poppies.
They’re on the kitchen table, they’re covering all the benches, there’s barely a spare bit of space anywhere which isn’t currently occupied by the distinctive red poppy shapes which regular visitors to Washington Village will be familiar with.
“It’s going to be like this for the next six weeks,” she laughs. “It’s the same every year, they completely take over the house and my life for a while but luckily I enjoy doing them.”
For the last six years, Barbara and husband Jim have been the people behind the bright poppies which adorn lampposts and railings in Washington Village for the four weeks surrounding Remembrance Day.
They got involved shortly after moving into the Village in 2019 and got chatting to Joan and Ron Atkinson from Washington Village in Bloom, who had already started to buy and sponsor poppies each year and realised they could be in a position to help.
“During Covid they were struggling to get hold of the materials needed and I knew I could probably make them. I had a scan and cut machine so was able to cut out the names of the sponsors…and that’s sort of how it started,” Barbara explains.
“I think we must’ve done about 70 in the first year but that number has grown and grown – last year we had 236. I think over the years I must’ve done well over 1000. I certainly didn’t imagine it would grow to this level.”
Each year, Barbara opens her order books in late September/early October to businesses or individuals who wish to sponsor a poppy. For just £15, they can have a name on one which will be placed in the Village.
Once they are removed, the poppies are then put away and re-used again the following year.
“People sometimes ask if they can keep them but the idea is that they’re just sponsoring it for that year. Many will come back year after year and we can sometimes reuse their previous one assuming it hasn’t been weather damaged and still looks smart.”
Anyone can sponsor a poppy. Businesses or individuals, people can sponsor it for themselves, a loved one or even a pet they’ve lost.
Once the orders are in and all the poppies made, Barbara, Jim and a band of volunteers from Washington Village in Bloom will spend several days putting them up around the Village.
“It’s hard work and thankfully we have some wonderful helpers because there’s a lot of ladder climbing. I think in ideal world we’d have a cherry picker but our funds can’t stretch to that so it’s a case of high ladders, lots of climbing and even more patience.
“If the weather is bad we can’t always get them up as quickly as we would like to as it’s too dangerous but we always get it done. We like to have them up for two weeks before Remembrance Day and then another two weeks after.
“Once it’s all over, the same team goes back out to take them all down and that is a long job as well. The whole thing takes up about three months of my year but I love doing it.
“Of course, the house is completely taken over by poppies. It’s a long job, all the names need preparing and making and then putting on and it takes time – but it’s worth it.”
This year, Jim has made a number of wooden poppies of the same size which will be installed around the Cenotaph and are for ex-servicemen, veterans and current servicemen.
The poppies will begin to go up towards the end of October and orders opened last week.
They cost just £15 per poppy with proceeds going to local veterans across Washington and Sunderland, while Barbara will also be making a donation to Washington Village in Bloom.
Each poppy can have one name on – be it a person or a business. If the person named is or was a service man or woman, please inform Barbara when ordering so they can be placed on the Cenotaph.
Not only do the poppies help brighten the Village while also collecting much-needed money to help the local causes, they also help boost local businesses.
“Once they go up we always find the Village becomes really busy which is great. People come down to see their poppy and they might pop into one of the coffee shops or visit the pubs and it’s a lovely boost for everyone,” she adds.
To sponsor one of this year’s poppies, click here to message Barbara, who will take your details and send payment details.
*Images: Washington Village in Bloom, Washington Way.
