Operation Joey: Purple poppy coat to be made for Featherstone War Horse memorial to commemorate service animals
A handmade coat of purple poppies is being made for the Featherstone War Horse memorial to pay tribute to service animals.
The Murphy's Army Purple Poppy Campaign aims to raise money for retired service animals and spread awareness of the purple poppy as a symbol of remembrance for service animals.
The new project – launched by Murphy’s Army founder Bev Alderson in partnership with Featherstone Town Council – is being called Operation Joey and will see a group of volunteers knit or crochet more than 3,500 purple poppies which will be made into a coat for the Featherstone War Horse.
The project is planned to be completed by October 11.
Speaking about the upcoming project, Bev said: “We were aware of the Featherstone War Horse and thought how wonderful it would be to see this covered with purple poppies too.
“We are extremely grateful to Featherstone Town Council for giving us permission and look forward to the challenge ahead.”
Featherstone’s War Horse memorial sculpture was unveiled in Mill Pond Meadow in 2018 in memory of the 353 soldiers from the town who lost their lives in the First World War.
The last three years have seen Rupert Till’s The White Horse sculpture in Horsforth adorned with another purple poppy coat created by Murphy’s Army.
Coun Graham Isherwood, who represents Featherstone East ward on the town council, said: “We are delighted that Murphy’s Army have chosen the War Horse to inspire their next project and look forward to the official launch in October.”
The Featherstone War Horse measures around five metres tall and nine metres in length.
As well as the 3,500 purple poppies, the volunteers also plan to make 353 red poppies for the coat in remembrance of the 353 soldiers from Featherstone who lost their lives in the First World War.
All profits raised by the Purple Poppy Campaign will go towards supporting the retired police dogs of West Yorkshire – the Fireside K9 charity – and providing medical treatment for retired British Transport Police dogs – the Railway Dogs Benevolent Fund.
More information about Operation Joey and the work of Murphy’s Army can be found on their website.