Each textile poppy will be unique Photo: courtesy of Linda Murgatroyd
The Collateral Damage project
Linda Murgatroyd writes about the Collateral Damage project
In November 2018 it will be 100 years since the end of the first world war. This war killed over seventeen million people and injured over twenty million others around the world. Sadly, it was not a ‘war to end all wars’. The second world war two saw around sixty million deaths and there were at least another 100 million in the rest of the century. These days, up to ninety per cent of people killed in war are civilians. The military often call these deaths ‘collateral damage.’
As well as those killed by fighting or bombs, millions of others are injured or lose their home, family or livelihood either during the war or afterwards from famine or disease. Many try to survive by leaving their home and country, and become refugees. Often people suffer from their war injuries and hidden traumas for the rest of their lives. People who refuse to join an army can be persecuted and imprisoned or even killed.
In this centenary year, the Collateral Damage project is inviting people to commemorate these victims of war by making a white poppy out of some kind of textile. As we create, wear and display our poppies we hope to reflect how we can build a more peaceful future together. It can be a mindful, prayerful and healing activity – and a sociable one, sometimes giving rise to important conversations. We hope it will help strengthen and broaden the peace movement.
Many of us know of people who died or suffered through war from our own family or community and also through the media. Each of these is a unique individual whose life has been cut short or devastated by war. Each textile poppy will be unique, too. It could be sewn, knitted, crocheted, or felted, and could be plain or highly decorated. Some people may wish to attach a stringed tag to say who their poppy commemorates, but poppies can also be anonymous, to honour an unknown victim. The project has produced a leaflet with some guidance on poppy making, and its Facebook page has lots of pictures and patterns of poppies that people have already made.
A number of groups and organisations are already supporting the project: publicising it among their members, arranging events, and in other ways: including the Peace Pledge Union; War Resisters’ International; Quaker groups include Kingston and Wandsworth Area Meeting and the Quaker Arts Network. Others willing to offer support and to be listed on the project’s Facebook page are welcome. Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) will shortly be producing a lesson plan on the project as part of their Peace Education work. Quaker Life will also be producing an edition of Journeys in the Spirit on the theme and publicising the project in outreach work.
The first group of poppies was made last year to remember some victims of the arms trade. It was launched at Yearly Meeting Gathering, and within five weeks about 500 poppies had arrived from Friends around the country – from Littlehampton to Lincoln – or were made outside at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair in November 2017 to be displayed at the Art the Arms Fair exhibition. Part of this exhibition currently forms a small touring exhibition which is now at Kingston Quaker Cenre until late April. A much larger display is planned in London in November 2018 and all sections of the community are invited to join in. Some people may prefer just to wear their poppies, to give them to someone else, or to join with others in making a local wreath or exhibition.
Further information:
http://ppu.org.uk/collateral-damage; Facebook @whitepoppies2018;
