The finishing touches have been put to Edinburgh’s historic Floral Clock, which this summer has been designed to mark 100 years since the signing of the Armistice, leading to the end of the First World War…
The West Princes Street Gardens landmark, maintained by the City of Edinburgh Council, has been created in partnership with Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland as part of their year-long fundraising campaign, The 1918 Poppy Pledge.
Lord Provost, Frank Ross, was joined by Poppyscotland’s Chief Executive Mark Bibbey, ex-servicemen from Poppyscotland’s Lady Haig Poppy Factory, where all of the country’s five million poppies are made each year, and parks staff responsible for creating the clock. Together they officially unveiled the design, which features a poppy flanked by two WWI soldiers.
Poppyscotland’s 1918 Poppy Pledge aims to commemorate those who fell in the First World War, with funds raised helping to provide support to those in the Armed Forces community.
Lord Provost, Frank Ross, said: “It is an honour to be able to support the life-changing work carried out by Poppyscotland with this Floral Clock design, which this year will provide a particularly poignant reminder of the signing of the Armistice, 100 years on from the end of World War One.”
Gordon Michie, Head of Fundraising at Poppyscotland, said: “I am delighted that The City of Edinburgh Council has chosen to commemorate the signing of the Armistice this year by dedicating the world-famous Floral Clock to Poppyscotland and our work supporting beneficiaries across Scotland.
“This support, which is part of our wider #1918PoppyPledge campaign, will give a unique, powerful and emotive view of Remembrance in the vibrancy and colour of the 35,000 flowers that have been planted. It will be a place to not only visit and take photographs, but also a place to reflect on the sacrifices that so many gave on our behalf.”
