FOURTEEN thousand poppies are being knitted for a special display at Otley Parish Church.

The Knit and Natter group is creating the flowers for an exhibit that will grace the outside of the church this autumn to commemorate the end of the First World War.

The Otley Poppy Project constitutes a massive task, making one flower for every Otley resident, and members received some welcome help last Saturday.

They are hoping to enlist more assistance when they appear at Otley Carnival on Saturday, June 16 where they will be selling poppy kits.

The Knit and Natter Group has already made 3,600 flowers and will be working hard over the coming months, while gratefully receiving donated (weatherproof) poppies, to create the remaining 10,400.

A spokeswoman said: “At the carnival we will have poppy kits for sale that require no knitting or sewing, so anyone can participate in the project, young or old, even if they can’t knit or crochet.

“They can drop off completed poppies on carnival day or send an e-mail to poppies4otley@btinternet.com for a list of collection points.”

The group meets at the All Saints Parish Church Cafe from 10am to noon on every second Saturday, and at Otley Courthouse from 10.30am to 12.30pm on remaining Saturdays The poppies display will be staged in October and November.