Once again, ARCH (Association of Residents of Canford Heath) will be putting up Lamp Post Poppies across Canford Heath to remember our heroes and to raise money for the Royal British Legion.  For a £5 donation, you can remember your hero who took part in WW1, WW2, or any other conflict, by sponsoring a poppy with an optional short message which will be attached.

To coincide with the display of lamppost poppies ARCH have organised a talk by Ronnie Barker (Ceremonial Officer at the Broadstone Branch of the Royal British Legion). The talk will take place from 7- 9 pm at Canford Heath Library on Tuesday the 29^th of October.

This interesting event will include information about the pilots from World War One and Two whose names are used as road names on Canford Heath. You will also have a chance to see images of many of them and in addition, there will also be an opportunity to purchase one of the knitted poppies that will have kindly been produced and donated by groups and individuals on Canford Heath. As always, all proceeds go to the British Legion.

Poppies will be displayed on lamp posts along Adastral Road, Culliford Crescent, Canford Heath Road Sherborne Crescent, Tollerford Road, Edgarton Road and Stinsford Road

Sponsor forms are available from Nicholas O’Hara in the Neighbourhood Centre or The Hub on the Heath Café in Adastral Square. Alternatively you can email  arch.poppies@outlook.com for a copy of the sponsor form which includes details on how to pay.

These can be knitted, crocheted or made from any other craft material. Poppies can be dropped at The Canford Heath Library by 24^th October. They will be on sale at the library and Nicholas O’Hara Funeral Care from Monday 30th October.

All proceeds go to Royal British Legion

for more information  about the 2024 poppy appeal email: arch.poppies@outlook.com

The Pilots behind the road names

Many of the roads on Canford Heath were named after WW2 Pilots. This tradition was carried on when Cornelia Gardens was built in 2014 but this time WW1 Pilots honoured keeping with this theme.  ARCH has recently installed some art boards around the heath including one on the History of Canford Heath as a housing development with a focus on the Pilots.   The Pilots behind the road names had never been researched in this way before and therefore took a great deal of time to ensure that as many as possible were included. ARCH is very grateful for the additional help with this from the RAF museum and to Maria Burns who was the artist and historian commissioned by ARCH to produce the boards.

However, recently a further 4 names have been identified these are Air Commodore Peter Cribb (Pathfinder Master Bomber), Lieutenant Commander R. M. Samples (Mac) (took part in the World War Two Chanel Dash), Lieutenant Commander Eugene Kingsmill Esmonde (awarded the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Service Order) and Group Captain Colin Falkland Gray (Awarded the Distinguished Flying cross & Two Bars). Our thanks to Canford Heath Past and Present Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/854342578415278  for this additional information.