A CHURCH has been awarded 21 silhouettes – one for each of the soldiers from the parish who lost their lives in the First World War.

The silhouettes for St Mary’s Church, Sherburn Village, near Durham, were funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, under the Armistice and Armed Forces Communities programme.

They form the major feature in the church’s Poppy Festival of Remembrance and Celebration to remember and thank all those who fought and those who lost their lives in the war and other conflicts.

There But Not There silhouettes will be positioned around the church, as well as a model of an unknown Tommy soldier with a poppy screen of remembrance at the church entrance and war memorial screen.

The displays around the church incorporate memorabilia loaned from the local community, with windows full of poppies, First World War medals, memorabilia, war poems, windows of cornflowers, French memorabilia, as well as a display to other nations who lost their lives.

There will also solitary display of twenty one soldiers boots and window display remembering women in the war, along with a display to remember horses and other animals in conflict.

The festival will be launched with a musical evening by local choir Voices Together, 7.30pm on Wednesday November 7. Tickets are available from the church wardens Paul Willey on 07889 397728 or Alison Fawel 07717 790605.

The church is open for visitors from Thursday November 8 to Saturday November 10, from 10am to 4pm, as well as from noon to 4pm on Sunday November 11. Refreshments are available and entry is free, with donations taken.