<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Richmond Purple Poppies]]></title><description><![CDATA[A cascade of Purple Poppies that commemorates the roles played by animals in conflicts past and in more recent times. We look forward to meeting you.]]></description><link>https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2026 19:37:24 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Donkeys meet the Mayor of Warwick!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Brave Tails: Animals Who Served – an Exhibition commemorating animals integral to military operations]]></description><link>https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/post/donkeys-meet-the-mayor-of-warwick</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6abfea31f63c6d8202da49a9</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2026 17:54:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7f73c4_b926aefd7b3d48738d8d5bf70792e77e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Luke Calcutt</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Donkey and Horse are remembered on the Somme . . .]]></title><description><![CDATA[18th September 2026 The location was the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation’s Le Mémorial des Animaux, Le Parc du Moulin, Pozières, France and under a beautiful blue sky over 200 guests were gathered. It is the most poignant of places.  In 1916 it was here and under very different skies that thousands of men from the armed services, together with the animals that worked alongside them, bravely encountered horrendous conditions. Silhouette of a horse funded by War Horse Memorial...]]></description><link>https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/post/a-donkey-and-horse-are-remembered-on-the-somme</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aad78d4bca59e2e6e09c54b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 18:21:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7f73c4_5b91b0819f3b49e983f43dd0510f2a80~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Luke Calcutt</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[North Meets West at Royal Three Counties Malvern and A Brilliant Blacksmith came by Too]]></title><description><![CDATA[14th June 2026 Northern and Western Regions of the Donkey Breed Society worked together at The Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern recently, to raise awareness and funds for the Northern Region’s donkey silhouette that will shortly leave the UK for the Somme, France. With a green gazebo adorned with items of crafting for which the DBS(NR) is now becoming synonymous, members and friends ran craft workshops and encouraged visitors to think about all the different animals, and there were about...]]></description><link>https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/post/north-meets-west-at-royal-three-counties-malvern-and-a-brilliant-blacksmith-came-by-too</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a5d1c4eaa66ec7ba9cd6bcd</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:11:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7f73c4_0d8b4c501a984ebf832c8aade33f02ee~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_357,h_259,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Luke Calcutt</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Purple Poppies Tour reaches The Rifles Berkshire Wiltshire Museum, Salisbury]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Purple Poppies are joined by a beautifully crafted Quilt and Children’s Artwork 1st July, 2026 The Poppies have now reached the recently refurbished museum that stands close to Salisbury Cathedral: The Rifles Berkshire &#38; Wiltshire Museum. They are accompanied by The Tour’s most recent project, a Quilt/Wall Hanging crafted by members and friends of The Donkey Breed Society’s Northern Region, with contributions from as far away as Australia! The Quilt commemorates all the brave animals that...]]></description><link>https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/post/the-purple-poppies-tour-reaches-the-rifles-berkshire-wiltshire-museum-salisbury</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4cea5d1855a907de56ef15</guid><pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:47:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7f73c4_34a2bfe9401844ed8dec288fb57427b2~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_379,h_256,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Luke Calcutt</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Donkey Breed Society Northern Region Donkey heads for The Somme]]></title><description><![CDATA[14th July, 2026 The Donkey Breed Society (Northern Region) is proud to announce that their beautiful silhouette of a donkey is leaving Grantham for Pozières on The Somme today. Members and friends in the Northern Region have worked tirelessly to raise funds for the donkey, ‘this is a small charity with a big heart’ said Sarah Booth, ‘we are so proud that all the hours spent fundraising: either by making and selling or raising awareness and asking for donations, has finally meant that our...]]></description><link>https://www.richmondpurplepoppies.com/post/supporting-our-heroes-purple-poppies-tour-impact</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a331606a0be590c66dc3a92</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 22:01:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7f73c4_1d00112469ab4b748dfb0a9781134721~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_651,h_484,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Luke Calcutt</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>