A CHURCH is appealing for creative people to come forward and help commemorate the end of the First World War.

Big plans are afoot at St Bartholomew’s Church Sealand to mark the event on November 11, when thousands of knitted poppies will be cascaded down the side of the tower to flow past the silent soldier silhouette standing below.

The team behind the project has already received about 3,000 handmade poppies from all over Wales as well as the Wirral.

Church warden Jennifer Watson said: "We decided to aim for 17,000 poppies and I have been amazed at all the support we have received, it has been absolutely brilliant.

"We wanted it to be a community thing and we didn't expect them to come from so far and wide."

The church is to host a heritage exhibition from tomorrow to Sunday, which will display the impact of war on Sealand.

There will be illustrated talks on a variety of subjects over the four days, including the Western Front, the Canary Girls of World War One, Decoys of the Wirral, the history of RAF Sealand and Sealand and Garden City heroes.

Admission to the event will be free and there will be refreshments on site.

There will also be a wartime sing-along with Mancot Community Choir on Friday from 1pm, as well as afternoon tea and a concert with the Buckley Singers on Saturday from 4pm - seats for which must be booked by calling Barbara on 01244 880533.

On July 4 a regular session will begin at the church for people to come in and help with the assembly of the net of poppies. The session will be held every other week from 2pm.

Mrs Watson added: "There is a lot of work to be done and we're looking for support form the community to help attach the poppies to the net."

Contributors of poppies so far include WIs of Dyserth, Colwyn Bay, Aberegele, Llay, Erddig, Rhosnesni, Abenbury, Gwersyllt, Wrexham and Hawarden, U3A group in Abergele, Trefoil Guild members from Weaver, Culcheth and Chester Kilmorey.

The project has also received donations of poppies from Broughton Library Knit and Natter groups and Saughall Craft and Chat, friends from the Wirral, Mold and the Rhondda Valley in South Wales.

The 10 meters of netting used to display the poppies was gifted to the project by Daleside Garden Centre in Hawarden.

For more information contact cj.wat@talktalk.net or visit http://stbartholomewsealand.org.uk/