Giffnock Library displays community effort to commemorate World War 1

The exhibit has brought together efforts from the community and continues to grow every day as local groups, schools and individuals add to the collection.

The exhibit commemorates men from Giffnock and local communities who lost their lives in World War 1and features ‘There But Not There’, striking soldier silhouettes, to remember those who did not return from the war, which were funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

There is also a display of publications produced by local groups and individuals over the last four years and a tribute to the men on the Giffnock Civic War Memorial.

The event has been planned in partnership with Giffnock Community Council, Orchardhill Parish Church and Giffnock South Parish Church and research comes from local historians including John Houston from the Scottish Military research group, Eleanor Spalding from Giffnock South Parish Church and Jim Blair, who researched the names listed on the Orchardhill Parish Church memorial plaque.

Primary seven pupils from Braidbar Primary School visited the display on its opening day and added their poppy pictures and War poetry, which they also read aloud.

Further local primary schools have scheduled visits in the coming weeks.

Local studies librarian Amanda Robb from East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure created the display with the support of the local groups and individuals to commemorate soldiers from the local and wider area.

Amanda said: “We are delighted to be able to commemorate the soldiers on the Giffnock Civic War Memorial and beyond with our World War I display.

“It has been a real community effort and has generated a lot of interest in its opening days. We’re pleased to see the community engaging with the display and adding to it along the way.

“Pupils have been really engaged with the display and the P7 class from Braidbar made a great contribution to it by leaving us some stunning artwork and some very poignant poetry and East Renfrewshire Culture and Lesiure’s art classes have created some beautiful images, which form part of the collection too.

“We are grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for supporting the display, which is bringing together WW1 research and making it accessible to the local community.

“We want to say a huge thank you to all involved for their research efforts and invite the public to come along, see the research and contribute their thoughts in our memorial book too, if they would like to.”

The library also has a dedicated selection of World War I books, including text aimed at explaining the war to children.

The display is free to visit during opening hours and will continue until November 24.