Members of the Whipsnade Knit and Natter group show off their work.placeholder image
Members of the Whipsnade Knit and Natter group show off their work.

Whipsnade Knit and Natter group creates Remembrance display inspired by village's wartime past

Knitted soldiers, airmen, nurses and horses have taken over Whipsnade Village Hall as a group pays tribute to those who served during wartime.

Members of the Whipsnade Knit and Natter group have put together a battle scene inside the village hall, alongside decorations marking the war years outside the building.

The group, which formed around eight years ago, meets once a month at the hall and has around 15 members, most of whom live in the village.

The project began two years ago when members started knitting poppies, which were displayed on nets inside the hall.

Last year, they decided to expand their efforts by creating a battle scene, with knitted figures representing some of those involved in wartime service.

The group's inspiration includes Whipsnade's Tree Cathedral, a living memorial created in the 1930s by First World War veteran Edmund Kell Blyth.

Now cared for by the National Trust, the Tree Cathedral remains an important part of the village's heritage and is a source of pride for the knitting group.

Another part of the village's wartime history is the death of American airman Major Glen Hagenbuch, who was killed aged 24 when his aircraft crashed on Whipsnade Common during a training exercise in 1943.

These connections helped inspire the members to continue knitting and developing their display.

Most of the group's members are in their 70s and 80s, and Remembrance remains particularly important to them.

The display also comes as Whipsnade Village Hall marks its centenary year

Built in 1926, the hall is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, with an event planned to coincide with the village's annual Christmas fair at the end of November.

> You can send pictures of your Remembrance displays to us at [email protected]

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