Gosport pupils commemorate wartime heroes with garden art display

Brockhurst Junior School showed off its centenary poppy path at the weekend, which was officially opened by the Mayor of Gosport, Councillor Diane Furlong.

Each pupil contributed something to the display by either painting a pebble or doing artwork on a piece of bunting.

Around 400 children turned up to the event, with many wearing poppies or something red. 

Charlotte Hawkley, Year 5, is one of the many pupils at the school with parents in the armed forces.

She said: ‘We started making the poppies out of pebbles before Christmas.

‘It feels really good to see it all finished. It’s nice to do something like this together, as a whole school, and think about the First World War.’

Charlotte’s father, Chief Petty Officer Den Hawkley, 40, said: ‘I’m really proud of her.

‘It’s great that they all did something to put this memorial together and it gives the children a greater understanding of what we do when we’re away – and why we do it.

‘We wouldn’t be where we are today without the sacrifices made by the armed forces, so it’s important to remember them.’

Fellow parent Tammy Kent said: ‘My son Jayden told me I wasn’t allowed to see what they had done until today – the kids are all so proud of what they’ve put together.

‘This school does so much for forces families – Jayden’s brother is in the armed forces and they have a club for people like him to go along to.’

Headteacher Gary Nicholls says the message behind the project is that remembrance isn’t just for November.

He said: ‘The point of the project is that everyone was able to learn about why we remember the First World War.

‘We have a significant number of service families here at the school so this is very important to us.

‘Now the pupils have something remember the heroic sacrifices of the First and Second World War all year round – and that means this school will never forget them.’