Community Activities
The RNLI Remembrance on The Den began in 2024, following an invitation to contribute a poppy wreath to the special Poppies to Paddington (P2P) initiative organised by South West Trains. They invited our community to knit and crochet poppies, and were overwhelmed by the response, receiving more than 700 beautiful handmade poppies in a wonderful variety of sizes and colours. Each poppy represents a life lost in the First World War and subsequent conflicts, reflecting the diversity of our communities and the importance of remembering all who have served and sacrificed.
Since then, the collection has grown to more than 1,000 poppies, creating a poignant and thought-provoking tribute to Remembrance and Respect. We are all enormously grateful to Teignbridge Council, particularly Mark Payne, for allowing them to use the garden area on The Den to share these precious memories with our community.
This year, alongside the handmade poppies, we are delighted to incorporate the metal sculptures displayed in our window. These powerful works bring an additional dimension to our display, connecting remembrance of those who lost their lives in conflict with the ongoing challenges faced by veterans long after their service has ended.
The sculptures of Neil and Stan were created in 2018 by a veteran who was receiving support from the Combat Stress charity. They formed part of an exhibition highlighting post-combat mental health among former service personnel. The exhibition was held at National Trust’s Overbeck’s Garden, a property that had been used as a convalescent home during the Great War. This connection between recovery, remembrance and the lasting impact of conflict makes the sculptures especially meaningful.
Together, the poppies and sculptures encourage us to remember not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but also those who returned home carrying the physical and psychological consequences of their service. They remind us of the importance of recognising veterans, supporting those living with the effects of trauma, and ensuring that compassion and understanding continue long after the guns have fallen silent.
Our window is about much more than the poppies and sculptures themselves. It offers a space for reflection, remembrance and community conversation, acknowledging families devastated by the loss of loved ones while inspiring younger generations to consider how they can shape a compassionate and respectful future. We also recognise the immense contribution of our uniformed services and the spirit of service reflected in the Royal British Legion’s theme last year, ‘Service, Not Self’.
The beautiful display of more than 1,000 handmade poppies will be set up on the afternoon of Saturday 7 November 2026 and will remain on display until Wednesday 18 November 2026, before sunset.
We warmly invite everyone to visit The Den, take time to remember those who gave so much, reflect on the experiences of our veterans, and consider the importance of service, respect, compassion and community. Through remembrance, we honour the past while helping to build a more understanding future for generations to come.
