A giant poppy has been unveiled on the roof of a building in Inverness ahead of Remembrance Day.
Hundreds of soldiers and military families gathered for a poignant ceremony in front of the 23ft-long artwork at The Hub, on Waverley Way, this morning.
It was led by Church of Scotland minister Geoff Berry and attended by troops from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (formerly known as the Black Watch).
The artwork was created by ‘Banksy roofer’ Gary MacIntyre and his business partner Conor Farmer, who got involved when the roof of The Hub needed repairing.
The Hub is a community centre that includes an Army Welfare hub for local families and soldiers based in Cameron Barracks, on the outskirts of the city.
Rev Berry, who was the last chaplain to leave Afghanistan, said: “We only need to go back one or two generations to realise we all have a connection with our past warriors.”
He added: “These young men are protecting our society and our freedoms.
“These soldiers are witnesses of things that are not meant to be seen, running towards the enemy you run away from.”
He later told The P&J: “I have a lot more respect for these young men and women than I do for people in Westminster.”
Major Paddy Marshall, 49, said: “Every November 11 we remember our warriors, but this is a permanent reminder.
“Now, people who pass by the building will remember them regardless of the day of the year.”
Major Marshall, who has been in the British Army for 32 years, added: “As a soldier, to have the assurance that someone will take some time in their busy life to reflect on what my predecessors and I have done is just very special.”
How was the giant poppy made?
The £36,000 red slate poppy was financed by local organisations and charities and was the brainchild of Gary MacIntyre and Conor Farmer.
Mr McIntyre earned the nickname earlier this year after recreating Banksy’s Girl with Balloon artwork on the roof of a property.
Mr McIntyre had wanted to create a Remembrance Day mural for several years, but until now had never found the right roof.
His partner Mr Farmer showed his sketch to Major Marshall who was interested in having the creation brought to life.
Mr McIntyre, from Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire, told The P&J: “Our favourite part has been constructing the soldier within the poppy.
“We did that off-site where it is very time-consuming as the work is very intricate, all intricate cuts were done by hand.
“We wanted to make sure everyone married in nice.
“We are roofers first and we wanted to make sure the roof also kept water out.
“There’s a fair bit of planning that goes into it to make sure everything works.”
He explained that his dad was an Army engineer and he wanted to take on the project to “raise awareness” of the efforts of Poppy Scotland and veterans.
He said: “When I moved up here 14 years ago, I became a standard bearer for the Royal British Legion in Dingwall and from there I became a parade commander for the Legion.
“It fills myself and Conor with so much pride to be able to do something like this for a wonderful cause and we are delighted with all the positive attention and feedback we have received from the general public and Army families from Inverness.”
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