Remembrance Day is always a poignant time of year, especially for 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) personnel and their families. The period of quiet reflection this year will culminate in a service held at Fort George Kirk on Remembrance Sunday, led by Padre Paul van Sittert. The service is open to everyone with a 1030 hrs start. The Fijian soldiers have kindly offered to sing as part of the service. All retiring offerings / donations will go to Poppy Scotland.
3 SCOTS, historically known as The Black Watch has a staunch and proud heritage steeped in tradition. Fort George is currently home to the 3 SCOTS Battalion which most of the Craft Club members are affiliated to through their husbands and partners.
The Craft Club have sought to honour and reflect upon that in their display, which incorporates the use of military camouflage netting and Black Watch Tartan ribbon. The spouses and partners are understandably proud of their service personnel and that shows in the way that the display has been handcrafted and produced – with love being an important ingredient.
The poppy focal piece at the Battalion Kirk is the Craft Club’s way of reflecting on a sombre time of dedication and also a time to consider the role of the Battalion and wider Armed Forces Community in what are clearly difficult and challenging times.
Last year’s knitted and crocheted poppy display, produced with love and care by the spouses and partners of 3 SCOTS at the Army Welfare Service Adult Craft Club, continue to adorn the communion table and pulpit of the Kirk. Many wreaths remain situated around the upper echelons of the Kirk itself.
This year's display has focussed upon the exterior of the Kirk, with poppies cascading from the central stained-glass window down into a sea of red and purple flowers staked into the grass. This display is reminiscent in part, albeit not on the same scale, as the effective Tower of London ceramic display. The spouses and partners display has been crafted from recycled plastic bottles, with the tribute focussed on recognising the sacrifice given by so few for so many.
A lot of time and dedication has gone into producing this year's piece, which would not have been possible without our military families, staff at MacLeod and MacCallum solicitors, MacGregor Industrial Supplies and Cauldeen Primary School for collecting and donating their empty bottles to be transformed into poppies of all sizes. Friends and family members have also played their part too, with some of the bottles having travelled from Dundee; and others from Aston Fence Primary school in Rotherham where the child of a serviceman helped to trim and shape the bottles they had collected. The Project received funding from Army Welfare Service, 3 SCOTS Padre’s Fund, 3 SCOTS Unit Welfare Fund and MacLeod and MacCallum Solicitors.
The Adult Craft Club have thoroughly enjoyed putting this year’s display together, and hope that it will be appreciated by those who visit Fort George during the period of remembrance, and over the coming months.
As military spouses and partners, the craft club know all too well the sacrifices made by serving military personnel both past and present. The club hope that by producing such a focal point at what is an important time for the Battalion and military, that this will make the upcoming period of reflection at Fort George, all that more poignant and special.
Being a Military partner is a difficult undertaking. During times of deployment, you are trying to maintain a sense of normality for yourself and your children, whilst in the background running the household and often holding down a job. Time for yourself is often limited, however the established Army Welfare Service Adult Craft Club on Wimberley Way has allowed the spouses of military personnel local to Inverness and the wider Highlands, a creative outlet and offered a sense of focus and purpose.
Information provided by Leuchars HIVE