Schools across south west Birmingham have been preparing to pay their respects to the fallen.
One hundred years since the Armistice which saw the end of the First World War in 1918, this Remembrance Day is especially poignant.
And local schools have made special efforts, coming up with some really creative ways to mark the occasion.
Here are a few of the highlights. Let us know what your school, college, workplace or group is doing in remembrance.
Colmers School & Sixth Form College
Just one of the activities at Colmers in Rednal saw form 8A making paper poppies for a stunning display in the main reception. Gen Brooks and Kaya Spain played a special part in helping put the display together!
Kings Norton Girls’ School
Pupils have created beautiful paper poppy wreaths with each petal being inscribed with the handwritten personal reflections and gratitudes of students.
One student is set to appear at the Festival of Remembrance this weekend! After winning first prize in her category of the Royal British Legion poetry competition, Lucy Atrill will be reciting her poem ‘Thank You’ at the Royal Albert Hall! You can watch the event on BBC One from 8.30pm on Saturday 10th November.
Lordswood Boys’ School
The boys have created some stunning remembrance posters, and Year 7 have undertaken a creative writing project – producing “Diaries of World War One”.
As well as this, wreaths were placed at cemeteries across the Somme region on behalf of the school.
Merritt’s Brook Academy
Children at Merritt’s Brook Academy in Northfield created over 200 poppies in commemoration of the end of WW1. Members of the school council planted a field of poppies ready Remembrance assembly.
Stirchley Primary School
Stirchley Primary School’s display is simply stunning and has rightly received a lot of media attention this week!
Inspired by a visit to The Weeping Window at Hereford Cathedral by a member of staff, planning for a Stirchley version was soon underway!
Year 6 children carried out fundraising activities – such as a cake sale, Smarties tubes stuffed with 20p pieces and a ‘Wear Something Red’ day – to secure the funding for the huge amount of red waterproof paper needed!
Pupils, parents, carers and friends attended workshops to make the poppies and community groups such as Brownies, Scouts, Explorers, church groups, after school club helped the school produce an amazing 2,500 poppies!
The school applied for and was awarded 8 Perspex ‘There But Not There’ soldier silhouettes from the charity Remembered and these are positioned both in and around school. Local businesses, organisations and residents have sponsored the soldiers.
At the base of the weeping window display is a poppy garden which houses over 200 ground poppies which are all available for nomination of a loved one for a suggested donation of £1.00.
Teaching Assistant Karen Lane, who organised the display, said: “There are a mixture of red, white, purple and black poppies in the garden, all of which have a separate meaning or representation.
“Stirchley School Remembers is the name given to our project and will hopefully raise awareness of sacrifices made by others.”
The community is invited to visit the display from 2pm on Friday 9th November.
Any money raised will be split equally between the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and Remembered charities.
Turves Green Boys’ School
We were first contacted by reader Rhianne Lilley about Turves Green Boys’ amazing memorial.
The boys have also produced some stunning and poignant artwork.
Turves Green Girls’ School
Year 9 GCSE Art Textiles students created a stunning remembrance dress using poppy shapes. Beautiful!
And from us all at B31 Voices (& the fabulous Dave Collins from Lickey Hills Golf Club)… Lest We Forget
(Please turn sound on)