The IBCC Lancaster Poppy Display – Victory in Europe – at 80
At 3pm on 8th May 1945 the BBC interrupted its scheduled programming to broadcast an announcement by Prime Minister Winston Churchill who informed the nation that the war in Europe had ended. In his speech he announced that May 8th would be a national holiday and be deemed Victory in Europe day, later to be known as VE Day.
VE Day marks the day the Second World War Allies formally accepted an unconditional surrender by the armed forces of Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich, after six years of one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history.
In the UK, the red poppy is the national symbol of remembrance. Poppies are flowers of the fields which, despite the devastation and horrific loss of life in war torn Europe, flourished and grew on battlefields. The Lincoln VE 80 Project will honour the occasion with a Service of Thanksgiving, on the 11th May, and an installation of stunning handcrafted ceramic poppies, shaped into a Lancaster Bomber, created using over 20,000 individual and unique flowers and accompanied by an exhibition, will be on display from Easter until the end of August.
The Lancaster poppy display has been created by artist Darius Sirmulevicius, originally from Lithuania but now living in Kirton, Lincolnshire. Each one is being sold to raise funds for the following charities:
- Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial Education programmes. Dedicated to supporting the development of STEM and SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural) initiatives for primary and secondary schools. They also provide resources for youth groups to enhance these educational areas and to promote well-rounded student development. Demand for places exceeds capacity, so funds will help fund new buildings.
- British West India Regiments Heritage Trust. Dedicated to commemorating and educating the public about West Indian and Caribbean military heritage. They advocate for the recognition, celebration, and valuing of West Indian contributions within the armed forces community.
- Wooden Spoon Trust – Dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities or living in disadvantage in local communities across the UK and Ireland through the power of rugby.
These collectible and unique poppies can be pre-ordered here and will be sent out in their Spire shaped boxes with their Certificate of Authenticity in September.
Orders are being limited to a maximum of 3 per address to ensure fairness. Please ensure that you select postage and complete your delivery address before you checkout unless you are able to collect.
