The white Peace and red Remembrance Poppies have been mounted on the railings outside the Quaker Meeting House at Bainbridge.
A spokesperson for the Meeting House said Quakers wear white poppies to “remember all the victims of war, to challenge militarism, and to build a culture of peace, remembering that, today, 90 per cent of these victims are civilians”.
They added: “The custom of wearing white poppies was started in 1934 by the Peace Pledge Union, whose aim is to work against the causes of war, finding other solutions to international problems.
“Many people suffered from refusing to bear arms, being imprisoned, and even killed, for their beliefs. Locally, ‘the Richmond 16’ were imprisoned in Richmond Castle for refusing to bear arms.
“Many Quakers and other conscientious objectors served as ambulance drivers and stretcher bearers in both world wars, and the movement continues to work actively for peace around the world.
“Today, the right to refuse to bear arms in enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights, and on the October 24, 50 nations signed up to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adding them to landmines, cluster bombs, and gas, as illegal under international law.”
White poppy sales can be purchased from the Peace Pledge Union https://shop.ppu.org.uk
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Any chance Richmondshiretoday can publish the websites for the Royal British Legion and Help For Heroes to enable donations to these two great organisations? This is especially important with the impending national lockdown limiting the chance of making a donation to such worthy causes.