Lindum employees have played a hands-on role in helping to create a spectacular new poppy installation at the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln, commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
The display features more than 20,000 handmade ceramic poppies arranged in the shape of a Lancaster Bomber – a poignant tribute to those who served in the Second World War.
Created by Lithuanian artist Darius Sirmulevicius, who now lives in Lincolnshire, the eye-catching sculpture will remain on show throughout the summer. Each poppy is unique and available to buy, with proceeds supporting the IBCC, Wooden Spoon Rugby Charity and British West India Regiments Heritage Trust.
To help bring the vision to life, volunteers from Lindum offered their time and expertise to assist with the installation of the display. The company also provided a ‘cherry picker’ to enable safe and efficient placement of the poppies within the large-scale silhouette.
IBCC CEO Nicky van der Drift said: “This incredible installation pays tribute to the more than one million men and women who served in or supported Bomber Command, many of whom were based here in Lincolnshire.
“The red poppy is our national symbol of remembrance and this Lancaster-shaped display is a powerful and beautiful reminder of the sacrifices made during the war.”
The display was unveiled ahead of the launch of VE80 Lincoln – the final stage of the Rugby & World War Two Project – which honours the sacrifices made during the war and uses sport to educate and unite future generations.
Events will culminate in May 2025 with a VE Day 80 Beacon Lighting, a Rugby Festival and commemorative ceremonies across Lincolnshire.
Lindum Director Nick Hammond said: “We’re really pleased to have been invited to support the International Bomber Command Centre with this moving tribute.
“Many of our employees have strong connections to the Armed Forces and to Lincolnshire’s aviation heritage, so it meant a great deal for our team to be involved in marking this important anniversary.”
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for IBCC
Lindum operative Neil Armstrong was part of the team that helped install the display.
“A professional climber and I went up the tower,” he said. “He was on the inside, while I operated a cherry picker to access the outside. We worked together to fix the poppies in place while a carpet of scarlet poppies was laid at the base of the tower.
“We were over 20 metres up and the tower is on a hill overlooking Lincoln, so the views were breath-taking. It wasn’t lost on me that those poppies represented individual brave souls lost in conflict. It’s a day I will always remember.”
This is not the first time Lindum has been involved in honouring the Bomber Command legacy. The company installed the IBCC’s iconic spire – a 102-feet-tall landmark which represents the wingspan of an Avro Lancaster.
Standing 16 feet wide at its base – the same as the width of a Lancaster wing – the 55-tonne steel structure is now a familiar and poignant feature on the Lincoln skyline.
Creating the spire was a major engineering challenge. Given its scale, Lindum devised a method to build it off-site and transport it in two parts using low-loader vehicles. The final structure was then carefully assembled by expert engineers in a single day. Before construction, Lindum carried out six months of rigorous outdoor testing on the chosen steel to ensure it could withstand the elements for years to come.
The poppy display is open to the public and forms part of a wider exhibition at the IBCC exploring the links between rugby and the Second World War. It will run alongside VE80 events through to August.
To learn more about the project or to purchase a poppy, visit www.internationalbcc.co.uk.
