GCHQ creates poppy waterfall to launch appeal

The intelligence agency GCHQ has launched this year's poppy appeal in Gloucestershire with a waterfall of poppies.

The so-called 'Poppyfall' has been put together from 9000 poppies hand-made by GCHQ staff. It is hanging in the atrium of the Cheltenham base.

The 10 metre high waterfall was unveiled at an event supported by the Royal British Legion.

THE FIGURES

Staff in Cheltenham were helped by colleagues at sites across the country and partners overseas to meet their poppy target. Friends and families also contributed.>The poppies GCHQ created were as diverse as the staff who sewed, knitted or crocheted them. They included black poppy roses from GCHQ’s BAME network and rainbow poppies from Pride. As technology is a big part of GCHQ, specially designed 3D printed poppies were added.

The main part of the waterfall will remain at GCHQ until the end of November.

A section of it will then be available for public viewing in Gloucester Cathedral from early November.