A COMMUNITY is coming together to create a waterfall of 1,000 poppies to cascade over the altar of Aysgarth church.

The display will coincide with the parish community’s Festival of Remembrance which runs from November 9 to November 12.

Rishi Sunak MP will officially open the exhibition and flower festival on the evening of November 9 and unveil an interactive display of WWI memorabilia thanks to the Green Howards Museum.

Juliet Barker, the lay chair of Aysgarth Parochial Church Council, said: “The festival is very much an inclusive community event involving other local faith groups, parish councils, schools and individuals and we are grateful for the enthusiasm and commitment of all involved.

“We hope it will prove to be an appropriate memorial to all those whose lives were changed for ever by the Great War.”

The flower festival, masterminded by Barbara Hadlow, will illustrate the battles of World War One and its war poets.

It will be created by the church’s flower ladies and friends from the Wensleydale Flower Club.

An illustrated exhibition will tell the stories of local people who participated in the war effort and features a new Roll of Honour researched and drawn up by local historian Penny Ellis.

This so far includes 185 names - not just of the men of Aysgarth parish who fought and were killed, but also of those who returned plus the women who served as nurses.

Some of the new and fascinating research that Ms Ellis and Pip Pointon have undertaken this year will be on view at the exhibition for the first time.

A guide to the memorials in the churchyard where the parish’s fallen of WWI are remembered is also being prepared.

At 2pm on Saturday November 10 there will be a concert featuring WWI music and songs performed by the Hawes Silver Band, Aysgarth Singers and the children of West Burton’s community choir The Songbirds.

These will be interspersed with readings from WWI poets and diarists, and local school children will read their own contributions to the commemorations.

On Remembrance Sunday short Acts of Remembrance will be held at each of the village war memorials in the parish; at Aysgarth, Carperby, Thoralby, Thornton Rust and West Burton. Many will then gather at the church gates at 10.30am and process into the church.