Ever since the poem “In Flanders Fields” was published in 1915, the red poppy has become a symbol for Remembrance day, observed annually on November 11th. The event commemorates fallen soldiers, veterans and those on active-duty. However, Julia Cooper has created a year-round tribute for veterans at Don Bar in Stockton, United Kingdom. Part of the pub’s walls and ceiling are covered with 70,000 poppies made by disabled veterans. Cooper has hot glued the flowers, losing her fingerprints in the process. The other walls are covered with photographs of soldiers. Cooper feels very passionate about her labor of love. “It’s so people don’t forget and it’s somewhere people can put faces to our forces who have lost their lives or are still fighting somewhere out there.” Cooper’s pub has collected over £7,000 in donations in the last 12 months. The money is going to charities helping servicemen and women. She does not have any plans to stop; her goal is to surpass 100,000 poppies.
