The Library is proud to host the Crafting Remembrance exhibition. Guided by the Royal British Legion and organised by a collaboration between Chaplaincy, Staff Wellbeing, Professional Support Staff Association (PSSA), University of Portsmouth Students’ Union (UPSU), UoPCraft@Lunch, and Eldon Art Shop, this creative remembrance project is intended to run for two years and create a locally meaningful commemorative artwork in recognition of all those lost too soon to war and life. – centred around the symbolic poppy and its leaf.
Since the Great War (1914-1918), the red poppy that covered the battlefields in France and Belgium has been a national emblem of remembrance to those lost to war. This project seeks to extend the meaning of the symbol to give special meaning to the poppy leaf as a symbol honouring staff and students from our own university community who are no longer with us.
Get involved
Crafting and remembering together, we commemorate the past and take the lessons learned forward for a better tomorrow.
Join us for a remembrance crafternoon
You can view the exhibition in the Library Atrium as part of its tour around the campus culminating in the Chaplaincy's Armistice Day remembrance event in November. You can contribute durable, weatherproof, crafted poppies made in any way at any time but one of the easiest ways to contribute to the display is to join in one of the weekly crafternoons during October/November.
The Library crafternoon is taking place in the Atrium from Tuesday 28 October - Monday 3 November 2025, when you will be able to make poppies from upcycled bottle tops.
Pick up a starter kit from Eldon Art Shop
Eldon Art Shop are selling a Crafting Remembrance Project starter kit comprising red and black wool and a crochet hook or pair of knitting needles for the bargain price of just £7 to help you get started crafting your own poppies. Buy cheap felt, wood and other art and craft materials from the Art Shop to bring your creativity to life. You could even upcycle unwanted, torn or worn clothes or charity shop finds. Expert art staff are always on hand to advise in Eldon Art Shop.
Craft with others
There's no reason your project has to be a solo affair. Join other crafty folk at Craft@Lunch every Wednesday lunchtime from 12-1 pm in Eldon W1.02 and work on this or any other craft projects with other local creatives.
If you have any questions, including where to drop off your hand-crafted poppies, please email pssa@port.ac.uk with the subject line ‘UoP Poppy’.