A field of poppies to mark Remembrance Day

• Village News

Sonia Lim 11 Nov 2021

Remembrance Day is an important opportunity each year for our staff and residents to honour the service and sacrifice of our veterans. Within many of our village walls are people who served our country, their family or friends, or others who have childhood memories of what life was like during World War II.

Each year we hold commemorative ceremonies across many of our residential care village locations. Our RFBI Benhome Masonic Village, RFBI Holt Masonic Village and RFBI Kurri Kurri Masonic Village were amongst those that acknowledged Remembrance Day with a special event.

Perhaps the most remarkable way to commemorate the occasion was created by our Leisure & Lifestyle Officer, Judy, in RFBI Kurri Kurri Masonic Village. Judy always had a dream to create a field of poppies to pay respects to those who served and for all to visit in our Kurri Kurri village.

Judy and our team of dedicated volunteers hand crocheted hundreds of poppies for our field and for our residents to wear. The field of poppies were enjoyed by all, and were just the beginning of a new tradition for the village – we have no doubt next year’s field will be even bigger. The field of poppies brought a lot of joy to our residents, staff and volunteers alike. Thank you to all who participated.

Our RFBI Holt Masonic Village celebrated Remembrance Day with a special commemorative service attended by a local Royal Australian Air Force serviceman, who prepared and presented a speech for the occasion. The ceremony included a minute of silence to pay our respects, and an interval of tea or coffee and lamingtons. Our Holt village has a number of residents who served in the Royal Australian Air Force, so the occasion was of particular importance to them and their families.

Our staff and residents at RFBI Benhome Masonic Village also held a simple, respectful ceremony that included a reading and laying of wreaths.

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