Knitted Soldier to take centre stage on Remembrance Sunday

ExtraCare’s Stoke Gifford Retirement Village’s knitting group has created an incredible 6-foot-tall Knitted Solider to honour Remembrance Sunday.

Stoke Gifford Village’s Knit & Natter group spent three months collectively creating the Knitted Soldier. The soldier is the work of 12 residents ranging in age from 63 to 93 years old. Supporting one another in their group the residents created an inclusive environment for all to enjoy, especially those with a past love for knitting who are now faced with challenges such as blindness, loss of dexterity or memory loss.

Member Pam created a poem to go with the finished project.

Activities Coordinator, Natasheya Archer commented: “I’m so impressed with how our residents took on the huge challenge of knitting a full-size statue for Remembrance especially so soon after completing the jubilee project. It was touching to hear residents’ stories of their loved ones who fought in WW1 and WW2 recounting memories of what the uniform looked like to make sure our soldier was accurate”.

The soldier follows the group’s Knitted Queen which they created in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and which earned a written response from the Queen before her death. The soldier will be standing proud for all to see in the ExtraCare retirement village until Remembrance Sunday.