Two colleagues from City of Wolverhampton Council who have spent months knitting hundreds of remembrance poppies have been overwhelmed by the response after raising more than £1000.

Type=image;ImageID=16694;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Amanda Millard and Linda Downing with their knitted poppies;TitleClass=strong;

Amanda Millard and Linda Downing from the council's transportation team started the mammoth knit in back in August and even took their needles and yarn to the beach on their summer holidays.

They have already made nearly 800 poppies - and will continue the production line right up until Remembrance Sunday this weekend (11 November). The duo have been selling their creations mainly internally to council colleagues but also anyone else who encounters them.

They have now set a new fundraising target after smashing their original ambition of £250 - and are not expecting sales to slow down before Sunday's poignant day of remembrance.

Amanda said: "We have been so surprised by how many people wanted to buy themselves, relatives and colleagues one of our creations to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

"We have had to re-think our target and are hoping to raise over £1100 before Sunday comes."

Not only have been knitting at home on evenings and weekends, but also whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Linda said: "I have been carrying my wool and needles around with me between meetings - I once found myself knitting on a train back from Nottingham, with other passengers keen to buy a poppy off me and donate to a great cause.

"Amanda even knitted on the beach whilst she was relaxing on holiday - it really has become a big part of our lives."

Both Amanda and Linda have family ties to previous World Wars - with both having relatives who served the British Army and the Royal Navy in World War Two.

  • released: Tuesday 6 November, 2018