WROUGHTON is installing a First World War centenary commemoration that will stand as a legacy for future generations with a very special kind of poppy trail.

Exactly 100 metal poppies have been made free of charge by local metal worker and Wroughton parish council property manager, Paul Kemnitz, to be planted in a trail around the village.

The parish council is now asking businesses and villagers to buy a poppy for £25 and put it outside their home or property to make a special trail, with all proceeds going towards the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

Wroughton Parish Council chairman Paul Hurst said: “At the start of the year the parish council thought we wanted to do something to mark the start of the First World War so I spoke to councillors and we all went away to think of some ideas.

“And then I came up with an idea of trying to create a 100-poppy trail around the village.

“Paul Kemnitz is the council’s property manager and he is also a metal worker, and he made 100 hand-crafted beautiful poppies, all in his spare time, that we are now selling to people to put around the village.

“We decided to put three on their stalks at the church and start from there.

“I then approached all the local businesses to see if they wanted to get involved and some of them have bought some and displayed them outside their shops.

“At the moment the trail starts at the church and goes all the way to the Check Inn, in Woodland View.

“There is one in Alexandra Park too which isn’t exactly in the village centre as such, so I think it is going to cover quite a wide area in the end.

“We might end up with six in one road and maybe only one for every road or so but it doesn’t matter, it’s just a way for everyone in the village to get involved.”

Paul hopes that on completion of the project, families and walkers might be inspired to follow the trail around the village.

Paul said: “It will be nice to think that families and visitors might be inspired to follow the trail around the village on an afternoon or so and it will become a bit of a legacy.”

Only businesses or individuals who are resident in Wroughton can buy a poppy, and only one is available for each household.

They will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis and are available from the parish council office.

Poppies can also be dedicated to the memory of someone who served in one of the Armed Forces during any conflict, or on behalf of someone currently serving.

The trail will be officially unveiled next month.

For ore information about the appeal visit www.wroughton.gov.uk

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