St Columba’s marked the centenary of the armistice at the end of the First World War at 11.00 on 11 November 2018.

In our morning service, we joined with others with in hearing an audio broadcast from the Cenotaph in London, holding two minutes’ silent remembrance, followed by a bugle sounding.

In the church, a poppy wreath was taken and hung from the war memorial.  The names of those from our churches in North Shields were read out, and poppy crosses were brought to the platform, whilst photographs of the soldiers who died in both world wars and their graves were shown.  It was striking how young many of them war, just in their late teens or early twenties.

The church had been decorated inside and out with many knitted poppies, including two crosses and a tree, by the dedicated craft work of HANDS, Inner Wheel and librarians.