RSPCA West Dorset Branch Taylors Rehoming Centre

Calling all knitting and crochet fans! We need you to make purple poppies.

Please help us to raise money for the animals at Taylors

and remember the animal victims of war on Remembrance Day

RSPCA West Dorset Branch sell knitted and crocheted purple poppies at Taylors Rehoming Centre and in our charity shops in Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne during October and early November. Can you help by knitting or crocheting some for us? A simple pattern is shown below, but you can search the internet and use any pattern that appeals to you.

Completed poppies can be dropped off at any of our shops, or at Taylors Rehoming Centre, or posted to PO Box 5460, Weymouth, DT3 6WH.

The purple poppy symbol was created in 2006 by the charity Animal Aid as a way to commemorate animals which served during conflicts as the charity viewed that they had been the forgotten victims of war. Approximately eight million horses and donkeys died during the First World War. Animals used in warfare are victims, not heroes. They do not give their lives; their lives are taken from them. More information can be found here "Animals, the Hidden Victims of War"

Please help us to remember them this November, and to support our work at Taylors Rehoming Centre.

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE PURPLE POPPY PATTERN

CLICK HERE FOR A CROCHET POPPY YOU TUBE TUTORIAL

Easy garter/knit stitch pattern for beginners

Body of Poppy

Using Purple yarn cast on 120 stitches.

Rows 1-4 Knit

Row 5 Knit 3 stitches together across the row (40 stitches)

Rows 6-9Knit

Row 10 Knit 2 stitches together across the row (20 stitches)

Rows 11-14 Knit

Row 15 Knit 2 stitches together across the row (10 stitches)

Cut yarn leaving a tail of about 20cm

Thread tail through yarn needle and slip all the remaining live stitches onto the yarn tail and pull tight.

Pull around into a circle and then stitch the seam. Sew in ends.

Centre of Poppy

Using Black yarn cast on 16 stitches.

Cast off.

Coil into a tight spiral and sew base to the centre.

Or use a black or green button with 4 holes and sew to centre of poppy.

Add safety pin.

RSPCA West Dorset Branch is a separate charity affiliated to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). We cover the towns of Dorchester, Bridport, Weymouth, Portland, Lyme Regis, Charmouth, Sherborne and Axminster (Devon) and the surrounding villages. Our priorities are the welfare and rehoming of local animals. We raise our funds within the Branch boundaries and all money raised is spent within the area. We are responsible for "Taylors Rehoming Centre" at Kingston Maurward, Dorchester.

If you wish to report an Animal Emergency or have concerns regarding the welfare of an animal please telephone 0300 1234 999. Please also call this number if you need to have an unowned or wild animal collected.

PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL US REGARDING EMERGENCIES OR CRUELTY

CALL 0300 1234 999 AND REPORT THE MATTER TO THE RSPCA NATIONAL CALL CENTRE