What began as one person's idea to remember each of the 1245 WW1 soldiers from Stockton who didn't return home, guerrilla gardening a sunflower for each man on his own, morphed over time with another person's input into a huge community event that will never be forgotten by all involved and all in attendance.
By now, certainly in and around Teesside, we all know Mike McGrother's grand ideas come to life on scales we never expect (but really should by now!), and in fact they often seem to take on lives of their own. But without the seed of an idea that came from his brother, Kevin, I suspect the sunflowers would never have seen the light of day. To say it was a seed of an idea almost suggests it's insignificant, tiny, limited. It wasn't. I certainly don't intend to play that down. Look at the world around you and consider what magnificent things grow from tiny seeds. They're the hearts of what stand tall in front of you, but seeds need feeding to become big and strong.
Together, Kevin and Mike, and no doubt countless people behind the scenes whose names we may never know, worked together on this labour of love to create a community event to be proud of. They brought together pockets of the community to grow sunflowers for each of the fallen soldiers, each with its own name tag. People in schools, churches and individuals took the idea into their hearts and they became the largest part of the event. Without the sunflowers being grown, without people researching their soliders' names and learning about their lives and those they left behind, without people cutting down the sunflowers in their prime and bringing them to Stockton Parish Church, the huge heart that became this event would have been lost.
It took about a year to bring this all together. From long before the launch event held at the then empty Paparazzo, where the fabulous students of Matty's Bistro cooked a wonderful three course meal and the diners were treated to great music from Andy Johnson, a couple of Wildcats and a third (big apologies but his name escapes me) fantastic musician. Even back then the community pulled together and volunteered their time to make sure the restaurant was up to dining standard.
The scale of this event was explained to us. As part of Stockton Town Choir we were privileged to be a small part of it and we knew what was to come, on paper at least. But when I arrived on Saturday 02 August I was stunned. The scale of the arrangement, of where people would place their sunflowers (and already had) and the care and attention it clearly received momentarily took my breath away. This was the moment I felt the heart in the event. This was one moment amongst many to come over the next few days that left me speechless. The photographs simply don't do it justice.
During the time I spent at Stockton Parish Gardens I was so impressed by the young people who had given their time to help. They'd spent the previous couple of weeks researching some of the soldiers, visiting some of their graves, learning their stories and trying to understand what happened and what they went through 100 years ago. By the time the event started on the Saturday I could see how much they cared. They talked with people who brought sunflowers, learnt the stories they'd learnt themselves, they helped them place their sunflowers, they told the story of Thomas Hughes, they encouraged people to sign a book of remembrance, and throughout they did it willingly with kindness, humour and respect. This is a generation we can be proud to watch grow, and I know there are people who worked with them over those couple of weeks who are proud to have been with them on their journey.
It was unfortunate that I couldn't attend the Gardens on Monday 04 August. I know from all accounts, photographs and videos that it was incredibly moving; a fitting tribute to the 1245. I know the rich, powerful voices of Infant Hercules caused many a tear to be shed. They were the voices of the men who are no longer with us, and they sang beautifully. The names of the 1245 being projected onto the side of the church, and each name being read out from 11pm that night from the beginning of the 1245 minute vigil, I know was both humbling and upsetting. The number of volunteers who gave their time to be part of the vigil, to make sure those sunflowers, our soldiers, wouldn't be alone was so touching. The letters written to Thomas Hughes by school children across Stockton were heartbreaking.
And still there was another part of the event to come.
Tuesday 05 August saw the final goodbye to our soldiers. Even more sunflowers had arrived, more tributes to their memories. We had a cheery and good old fashioned sing song with Daisy, Pack Up Your Troubles and It's a Long Way to Tipperary. But then Infant Hercules once again sang, along with the lovely voice of Matty Chipchase, and made us cry with beautiful, heartfelt words as we held our candles (and kept relighting candles between each other as the wind unkindly extinguished them, in itself a touching act). And then came the last post...
I've seen some people comment unkindly about the televised remembrance services and memorials of the 100th anniversary of WW1. I've seen people suggest they were contrived, that they were done for the sake of appearances as though it's something we should do rather than something we want to do. Perhaps the distance of those events caused a loss in translation of the importance that so many valued. Watching on TV, being so far removed, can cause an apathy in some. Maybe others simply don't believe it should be remembered in such ways. I'm sure there are many who refused to watch or attend because they just don't believe in war, that it should be remembered in such ways, as though they feel it's celebrated. Each is entitled to their opinion and I wouldn't think of criticising anyone for it. But for me this was important, it was as much about bringing together our community and making people understand how important each other is here and now, as it was about giving thanks to those who didn't return from war all those years ago.
On Tuesday, instead of heading off to the pub after the event had finished, I sat on a bench in the Gardens. Gradually people dispersed and a calmness fell (despite people clearing the ground and tidying up). I had no specific thoughts as I sat there, I just sat. I listened. I watched. I closed my eyes and felt the breeze on my face. I cried silently both for the lives we all remembered throughout the event, and for a life I remembered and miss every day. I'm crying now as I write.
The 1245 Sunflowers event was something to be incredibly proud of, and I took away with me a deep respect for what so many people are working towards within Teesside; a community that cares, that works together, that helps and respects each other; a side that many people either can't or don't want to see.
There were pledge cards there throughout the four days. I pledged one thing and I'm telling you now so you can kick me if at any time I forget...
I pledge to talk less about helping people, and do more to actually help.
Stockton's 1245 were remembered with respect, love and admiration, and I'm so proud to have been involved in even the tiniest of ways. I'm even more proud of the community that I see growing in front of me and the strength they give to each other. Stockton has a huge heart and isn't afraid to show it.
What a lovely heartfelt & personal story of 1245 Sunflowers thanks for sharing
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