Pupils crochet poppies for Remembrance Day at Burnham Grammar School

Poppies displayed in honour of Remembrance Day at Burnham Grammar School have been made by the students’ crochet club.

The palm-sized creations, displayed on the school gate, will later be sold with donations going to the Royal British Legion.

The two-year-old crochet club has been so popular that numbers had to be halved and attendance is rotated every half term.

Maths teacher Umgofta Hafeez started the club when she joined the school and said that crochet is good for relaxation, mental health and skills development and it also builds social ties.

“The students have really embraced crochet and not only are they learning something new but they are interacting with different age groups, which is something we encourage at the school,” she said.

Ms Hafeez teaches 15 students a week and children bring their lunch, crochet, chat and have fun.

“It’s a lovely atmosphere and the children really enjoy it,” she said.

The students are encouraged to bring in ideas for projects and patterns and tips that have been passed on from family members.

Whether they are tackling complex stitches or simple

projects, one thing Ms Hafeez is dedicated to is raising money for good causes.

This year, Easter egg holders and heart pins were sold to raise money for Alexander De Vine Children’s Hospice and breast cancer charities.

John Weeks, aged 11, brought the idea of bookmarks to the group after finding them online.

They were sold and money was donated to the school’s Learning Resource.

“I find crochet fun,” he said.

“It is very relaxing and it’s my replacement for football.

“I played it for a couple of years then I tried knitting and was finding it far too hard and then I found crochet.”

Eva Baker, 16, said crochet brings its rewards.

“What’s good with crochet is that you get an item out of it. You put your time in and you get the pay off with something at the end,” she said.

“The last project I finished was a blanket for a friend.”

The next project for the crochet club is Christmas stockings.

“They are going to be really popular with staff and students,” said Ms Hafeez.

“The money from that sale will go to a homeless charity.”