A COMMUNITY in York is starting a special floral tribute to mark the centenary of the beginning of the First World War.

Jane and David Lund, of Howe Hill Road, off Poppleton Road, want to plant a meadow with poppies to commemorate the 16 million people who lost their lives in the war, which started 100 years ago this August.

The Poppy Road Poppy Project is part of the Centenary Poppy Campaign. It was started by the Royal British Legion, which want to cover the country with poppies during the centenary period.

Jane said: “The Centenary Poppy Campaign is brilliantly simple and got us thinking about our local area – ‘Poppy Road’ and poppies.

“It wasn’t difficult to make the connection and after that the ideas just flowed. These meadows are for our community.

“A place of peace – a living memorial to those that have lost their lives or been affected by war. We’re asking that local families, businesses, community groups and schools get involved in the Poppy Road Poppy Project.

“We want everyone to join in contributing to it, and enjoying it for years to come.”

The team has secured permission from City of York Council to plant wildflower meadows on two plots of land at the side of Poppleton Road, which they hope will be a place of commemoration and reflection for the community.

They now need volunteers and donations to help buy and plant the seeds, with all donators recorded on the project’s website. A planting date has been set for Saturday, April 26.

Jane said: “If all goes to plan, our wild-flower meadow will be flowering by July, in time for the beginning of the centenary period.

"In the meantime, we’ll be arranging activities to raise money, including a plug planting day in early March – to ensure the establishment of the meadow and exhibiting paintings of local school children.”

A planning meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 25, at the Holgate Working Men’s Club from 8pm.

Dave Meigh, City of York Council’s operations manager, said: “We’ve been working with this community group to help find grant funding for ground works and seeds.

“It’s a delightful idea for poppies to be sown near The Fox pub and the memorial arch, and we’re looking forward to feedback from the public meeting and building it into a plan for the areas.”

For more information go to poppyroadpoppyproject.org or search for the project on Facebook.