A woman from Dorchester has created a crocheted poppy display in honour of her late father.
Fiona Matthews of 55 Monmouth Road has created the display consisting of approximately 1,500 poppies made from wool for people to buy.
The display is hanging outside the window of her home where she is asking for donations for the Royal Air Force (RAF) Benevolent Fund.
She is dedicating the poppies to her father Bob Hooper, who served in the RAF for 12 years and lost his battle with prostate cancer earlier this year.
She said: “My dad lost his fight against prostate cancer in May this year and so I decided to dedicate my display to him and 100 per cent of the money raised will be donated to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund in his memory.”
Fiona has been fundraising for the fund for several years and has been creating her display since the beginning of the year.
She said: “This is the third year that I have done a poppy display, the first two years I created my poppies from the bottoms of recycled fizzy drink bottles.
“This year I wanted to do something different so in January I began a project to crochet my poppies, and some 40 plus balls of wool later, I have created approximately 1500 poppies. I have also included a horse's head in purple to remember the animals of war.”
Fiona fell in love with planes due to her father’s service in the RAF in the 60s and early 70s and visits the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairfield every year. It is one of the reasons she donates specifically to this cause.
She added: “It’s the link to the air show and my dad which started me fundraising for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.
“Whilst at the air show I stay on the same campsite every year and I make Vulcan Shortbread which I sell and usually raise about £400 to £500 every year for the same charity.”
Fiona was originally inspired by social media posts to start creating the poppy displays from plastic bottles and they have not gone to waste either.
She has kindly donated them to Nothe Fort and they will form part of its Remembrance display this year.
Donations can be made online at her Just Giving Page ‘Poppies for Bob’ at www.justgiving.com/page/fiona-matthews-1698768122731
Alternatively a poppy can be bought from her home by putting a donation through the letter box.
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