Lockwood to handle homecoming of iconic Tower poppies

A Derbyshire transport firm is playing a vital role in the final phase of the iconic Tower of London Poppies.

Palletforce member Lockwood Group is taking delivery of all 888,246 ceramic poppies planted in the tower’s moat, representing every British Military death in the First World War.

Once returned to Derbyshire, where the poppies were original manufactured, they will be stored at Lockwood’s warehousing site in Ambergate, before being delivered to the company handling the cleaning and packaging. The poppies will then be sent out to the 600,000 people who purchased one.

“Due to the huge number of poppies this will be a 24/7 operation right up until Christmas and into the New Year,” said Wayne Evans, Operations Director at Lockwood Haulage.

“This has been a great and extremely worthwhile project and something we are all very proud to have played a part in.”

Once completed it is estimated that the Lockwood Group will have received, stored and redelivered in excess of 1,200 pallets for the project.

More than five million people are estimated to have visited the art installation, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, by artist Paul Cummins, over the last five months.

“People often forget about the role that logistics plays in major projects like this,” said Dave Holland, Sales and Marketing Director of Palletforce.

“We are delighted that Lockwood Group was invited to be involved in such an historical and unique operation.”