Residents at Sunderland homeless centre come together to create Remembrance poppies

The Salvation Army Swan Lodge Lifehouse, in High Street East, have a created a display of poppies by recycling plastic bottles.

The homeless centre, which has residents who have served in the armed forces, joined together to create the display and carried out their own service on Remembrance Sunday.

Sonia Park, a relief project worker at Swan Lodge Lifehouse and owner of Bright Sparks training, said: “It started because my son did a similar project at school as part learning about the Remembrance.

“I’d told other staff members about it and we thought it would be a really good thing to do.

“We have residents here that are ex-military and they did a little Remembrance Service on Sunday.

“I think it’s the one day of the year so many people come together. I think most people have got someone who is or has been in the military now or have family members that served in the Second World War – it’s about remembering people past and present.

“It's a way to give something back, even those who are homeless still think about people who are serving or who have served.

“There were just so many residents that wanted to get involved with it - more than anything we’ve done before which is just fantastic.”

The centre has accommodation for 65 men or women.