Sea of poppies at Southwick to mark Remembrance Sunday

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The poppies made from plastic bottles by school children from Southwick Primary School and the Salvation Army after school clubs and Grange Park Primary School have been used to adorn the railings around the War Memorial at the Green in Southwick.

Springboard Futures have also painted bottles to make a wreath.

While brightly red knitted and crocheted poppies made by volunteers at Wear Crafting Together, Sewing for Sanity, Just Let Your Soul Grow and Southwick residents have been strung up on netting from the lamp posts around the green.

A sea of poppies is adding an extra special touch to Remembrance commemorations in Southwick this year

This is just the latest project to bring the community together as part of SARA (Southwick Altogether Raising Aspirations project) which was set up in 2020 to revitalise Southwick and help support residents in the area.

The project which is based at Austin House on Shakespeare Street, Southwick, brings together Sunderland City Council, Northumbria Police, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit, Adult and Children's services, housing, education and health partners.

Over the last 13 months, this has included everything from developing ambitious plans to improve areas such as Southwick Green, Thompson Park and land on Cato Street with colourful planting, and tackling anti-social behaviour to supporting young people in their tenancies, helping people find work, and encouraging residents to take a real pride in where they live.

Southwick councillor and SARA representative, Councillor Alex Samuels said: "It's been lovely to see the community come together to create this colourful sea of poppies for Remembrance. They've done a brilliant job and it's really transformed The Green."