To mark Remembrance Day this November, Fiona Hooper has created an incredible Spitfire poppy display in honour of her late father and to raise money for the RAF’s leading welfare charity, the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Fiona’s poppy display depicts a Second World War Spitfire hanging outside the window of her home in Dorchester, Dorset. The plane is made from 1,500 crocheted poppies, recycled from last year’s creation, which took nine months to complete.
This is the fourth year Fiona has created a display to raise money for charity, inspired by her father’s service in the RAF.
Fiona said:
“My dad, Bob Hooper, served in the RAF in the sixties and seventies; the Air Force meant everything to him, and although I wasn’t old enough to remember him in uniform, I loved hearing his stories and credit my love of planes to him.
“My dad was a Senior Aircraftsman who worked on instruments on many planes including Vulcans, Valiants, Victors, Canberras, Helicopters and my most favourite plane, the C130 Hercules. He spent some of his time posted to Libya, and when I was six weeks old, we moved to his posting at Fairford, so visiting the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is almost like going home.”
Fiona continued:
“I have been going to RIAT for 25 years, and part of my fundraising for the Fund includes making Vulcan shortbread to sell at my campsite at the event. It was at the airshow that I first became aware of the Fund, and although we have been fortunate enough never to need support ourselves, I know there are many people who have, and I wanted to take the opportunity to help those who need it.
“Sadly, we lost my dad to prostate cancer last year, but he did manage to walk me down the aisle last January before we lost him in May.”
Speaking on her reasons for donating to the Fund, Fiona explained: “The RAF Benevolent Fund is so important, providing support for members of the RAF Family in need. It can make such a difference for serving and retired personnel and their families to know they are not alone and that there is somewhere they can turn to for help when they need it.”
Fiona said:
“Remembrance Day is so important to remind everyone what people have given up, enabling us to live the lives we do and also to remember those still being persecuted today and those fighting to enable them to remain in homes which should feel safe and secure.”
You can donate to Fiona’s Remembrance fundraiser on JustGiving.
The RAF Benevolent Fund provides financial, emotional, and practical assistance to serving and retired RAF personnel and their families. This includes grants to help with financial difficulty, mental health support, Airplay youth clubs, and more.
