A CALL to arms has been made by a group of Haslemere residents for town support to create a “magnificent town memorial” for the 2018 centenary of the end of the Great War.

Plans are in the pipeline to replace the decaying 35ft-high flagpole on top of St Christopher’s Church at Wey Hill and also to re-gild and reinstate the arts and crafts cross that previously sat on top of the flagpole.

Local schools and organisations have been invited to take part in a ‘Poppy-thon’ to make around 12,000 poppies, which will be artistically cascaded on netting from the top of the church tower.

To add to the spectacle, red poppies will be planted on St Christopher’s Green.

A new flagpole has already been purchased, thanks to grants from various local funding bodies, including the Shottermill Great War Memorial Trust, Haslemere Town Council, Surrey Churches Preservation Trust, Surrey County Council and Friends of the Parish.

Further donations are now needed to fund the materials to make and hang the artificial poppies from the church tower, with a view to completing the special centenary memorial by next Easter.

In addition to the St Christopher’s memorial, information will be gathered on those whose names appear on war memorials in Haslemere, Grayswood, Hindhead, Shottermill, Hammer, Camelsdale and Lynchmere, and fuller accounts of their service to their country will be featured on a new Haslemere and District memorial website.

Ken Griffiths, centenary memorial chairman said: “We are delighted to announce the Royal British Legion have joined us in partnership to deliver this ambitious project and plans are under way and well in advance.

“Ten schools have already signed up to make the poppies and to undertake research on the people behind the names on all the local war memorials.

“We are looking for kindly local residents, businesses and organisations, ideally to donate £200, or multiples thereof, for the purchase of materials to make the total of 12,000 poppies required, but any donation, however small, will of course be gratefully received.

“In support of the Great War centenary year, a series of monthly events are planned to support and reflect upon this historic milestone, which will be announced nearer the time.”

*For more information and to donate, go to www. mydonate.bt.com and search for ‘great war centenary’

• Email ken@haslemere. com with any queries or for more information.