Intertrust in Jersey has teamed up with the Royal British Legion to help commemorate the ancestors of local schoolchildren who volunteered to serve their country during the First World War.
The initiative is part of a programme of events where poppies will be planted across the island to commemorate the end of the First World War. Poppies will be planted at the Governor’s residence, around St Helier and in local schools.
The annual ‘field of remembrance’ event will take place in October. The event is at the cenotaph and war memorial of each of the parishes in the island where people remember relatives or friends who gave their lives.
The Royal British Legion has a list of all the local veterans who fought in the war and will invite pupils to dig a little deeper into their family history to find out what their ancestors did and where they went. The pupils will also be encouraged to plant poppies in their memory.
With help from Jersey Plants Direct and the Parish of St Helier, further poppies will be planted around Jersey and at Guillemont in France. The schoolchildren will also be invited to write a poem to be in with the chance of winning a gardening themed prize for their school.
Helene Senior, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Intertrust, said: “At Intertrust we have a commitment to supporting local charities and the community through youth and education initiatives. Educating local schoolchildren on Jersey’s history and remembering the sacrifices our ancestors made during the war is important to us as we do not want the island’s past to be forgotten.
“We’ve received fantastic support from the community to help us get this project up and running. The Royal British Legion does an amazing job in supporting serving and ex-serving soldiers and their families, so it’s a pleasure to work with them to mark such a significant time in our history.”
Tim Daniels from the Royal British Legion, and a Client Director in Intertrust’s Real Estate team, said: “We’re delighted that Intertrust has joined forces with us in the Poppy Appeal to raise awareness in schoolchildren on Jersey’s history during the First World War.
“We should never forget what our relatives went through during that time and the commitment they made. Jersey is steeped in so much history and passing this down to future generations will ensure it’s not forgotten.”
Acorn Nurseries, the social enterprise that provides employment and training for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions, will be making some planters for Intertrust employees to plant poppies on its terrace at 44 Esplanade.
John Hill, Site Manager at Acorn Nurseries, said: “We’re pleased to work with Intertrust on this project. The planters have been made by our employees and volunteers during training courses that we provide, using recycled timber and we’re sure they’ll look great on the Intertrust terrace.”
The poppies will be planted before 18 May in time for them to grow by Remembrance Day on 11 November.
All local schools are encouraged to get involved. If your school would like to take part, contact Helene Senior at [email protected].
