Call Out For Volunteers As Poppies: Weeping Window Comes To Caernarfon

Caernarfon Castle, in partnership with 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, and the Wales for Peace project, are proud to be hosting Poppies: Weeping Window by Paul Cummins, Artist and Tom Piper, Designer from 11th October to 20th November 2016, specially presented by 14-18 NOW to mark the centenary of the First World War.. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Poppies: Weeping Window is an iconic cascade of several thousand handmade ceramic poppies, pouring which will pour from the ramparts of Caernarfon Castle to the ground below. Originally displayed at the Tower of London in 2014, two sculptures – Wave and Weeping Window – were saved for the nation by the Backstage Trust and the Clore Duffield Foundation, and gifted to 14-18 NOW and the Imperial War Museums. They are now brought to audiences at venues across the UK as part of the 14-18 NOW programme, which aims to prompt a new, nationwide dialogue around the legacy of the First World War. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cadw Caernarfon Castle are working with the Welsh Centre for International Affairs’ ‘Wales for Peace’ project and local ‘poppies partners’ the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum, Gwynedd Council Museums and the Arts and Mantell Gwynedd, to recruit a team of enthusiastic volunteers to help deliver a world class visitor experience to everyone who visits the Poppies: Weeping Window sculpture during its time in Caernarfon – and to help with a broad programme of community events. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ‘Remembering for Peace’ exhibition, featuring Wales’ iconic First World War Book of Remembrance – on loan from Cardiff’s Temple of Peace to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum – will mark the lead up to Remembrance Day on 11 Nov, as well as the centenary of the end of the Battle of the Somme on 18 Nov. A ‘Peace Heritage Trail’ will take visitors around Caernarfon Town, starting from Oriel Pendeitsch; and a range of schools activities in Caernarfon will include the annual Wales for Peace WW1 Schools Conference and Peace Heroes Awards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Megan Cynan Corcoran, Volunteer Co-ordinator with Wales for Peace and Storiel, said: “We are looking for friendly, outgoing people who can spare some time, and act as ‘ambassadors’ for the Gwynedd community to visitors travelling from all over the world. Volunteers will be on hand to welcome up to 3,000 visitors a day, answer questions and provide information; and we are also looking for people to carry out educational activities and community based heritage projects. This will be a wonderful opportunity to gain skills, friends and interact with people who come to see the poppies – and to share in their thoughts and reflections as they experience this incredibly moving piece of art.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Poppies: Weeping Window is from the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red – poppies and original concept by artist Paul Cummins and installation designed by Tom Piper – by Paul Cummins Ceramics Limited in conjunction with Historic Royal Palaces. The installation was originally at HM Tower of London from August to November 2014 where 888,246 poppies were displayed, one to honour every death in the British and Colonial forces of the First World War. Weeping Window is the cascade of poppies that was seen pouring out of a high window down to the grass below. The second sculpture, Wave, is also touring the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Full training and support will be provided, with training sessions from the first week of October. Volunteers will then be rota’d for morning and afternoon shifts between 11th October and 20th November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​