Flanders Friends were awarded £17,341.90 of Community Investment Funding by the Theddlethorpe GDF Community Partnership towards their summer community event ‘Poppies on the Prom’ in Mablethorpe.
‘Poppies on the Prom,’ is a free two-day event which brings the community together. It is centred around the area’s WW2 history, elderly population, and the community of ex-service personnel.
This year the event took place in August and was a huge success. There were activities on the High Street, Queens Park, Sherwood Field and the North Prominade. This included vintage stalls, living history groups and re-enactments, games and rides, and vintage aircraft fly-pasts, and live entertainment. Local businesses and performers also supported the event, many of whom offered their services in-kind.
Talking about the success of the event, Samantha Ramsden, Secretary for Flanders Friends, said:
“I had the honour of helping bring the Poppies on the Prom event to life in Mablethorpe. I can say, without hesitation, that this was a day the community will cherish for years to come.
“The funding from the Theddlethorpe GDF Community Partnership was the cornerstone of this event. Without their support, we simply wouldn’t have been able to make Poppies on the Prom a reality.
“It wasn’t just about bringing in entertainers or booking performers—it was about creating an event that would run smoothly and safely for everyone involved.
“Everyone dresses up in 1940’s outfits. it’s just a really good day and everyone always looks forward to it.”
Samantha said the funding allowed the necessary costs for road closures, staging, and infrastructure to be covered, ensuring that the event could be both professional and accessible for all.
On hearing the funding news, she added, “When we first received the news that we had been awarded this funding, it felt like a weight had been lifted off our shoulders. It was a green light that allowed us to move forward with confidence, knowing we could create something truly special for our community. And that’s exactly what we did.
“Thanks to the generous support we received from the GDF programme, we were able to provide an extraordinary day of entertainment, learning, and community spirit for all ages.
“This support was absolutely vital to the success of the event, enabling us to bring together everything we needed to create a memorable experience—from the staging and acts, to all the behind-the-scenes logistics.”