Around 1000 paper poppies will fall from the sky over people attending this year’s Have a Go Day, a Live Lighter event, to commemorate Remembrance Day.
As part of the biggest event of the year for seniors a Remembrance Day service will be held at 11am, including a wreath laying, before a light aircraft drops the poppies from the sky.
The drop has been organised by the Victoria Park, South Perth and Districts sub-branch of the RSL which both celebrate 100 years of operation this year.
Branch president Leroy McDorman said the poppies are biodegradable.
“It’s been quite an operation to pull together,” he said.
Have a Go Day will run from 9am to 3pm on Wednesday 11 November at Burswood Park on Great Eastern Highway and will be packed with free activities and information for over 50s.
As well as a Poppy Drop there will be related static displays from RSL sub-branches including Victoria Park, South Perth and Districts and the 10th Light Horse Kelmscott/Pinjarra Memorial Troop.
Poppies play a big part in theming for the event, with red poppies for soldiers, white for nurses and purple for animals.
Have a Go Day, a Live Lighter event, is the largest single event specifically targeted at people over 55.
A mix of more than 230 static sites and activities makes the event unique to Western Australia.
As well as regular supporters like Bethanie, newcomers include: guide dogs; smart product solutions; Anglicare WA – No Interest Loans; WA Floral Art Society; Greenbatch Foundation – recycling bottles and plastic waste; Ingenia Gardens, the new sponsor for the main stage; Maritime Safety Education; WA Boomerang Association – boomerang throwing; Society for Creative Anachronism – medieval club; DrillDance WA; Forget-me-Not Dementia Support; Perth International Dance; Gift of Grace Funerals; Wheelchairs for Kids; Jazz Club of WA; and Flukez Ukulele Group.
Radio 6PR and Channel 7 are sponsoring the event and will have personalities in attendance and Curtin FM 100.1 radio will be doing an outside broadcast.
The number of site holders has been reduced slightly this year to ensure social distancing can be maintained; hand sanitiser will be available for visitors.
Executive officer of the Seniors Recreation Council of WA, (SRCWA) Dawn Yates, said the organisation, which runs the event, hopes visitors will get a better understanding of what is available across a wide variety of information stalls, and to discover the huge variety of clubs, groups and activities.
“Have a Go Day is an information and activities expo for the over 50s, it is an exciting day with a wide variety of activities and information readily available to all who attend,” Ms Yates said.
Around 15,000 people are expected to visit the free event.
The day’s objectives haven’t changed since the event was first launched in 1991. It aims to nurture healthy ageing through activity and to show that age is not a barrier.
“The main objective is to encourage seniors to be more active across a wider range of activities, both mentally and physically,” Ms Yates said.
Have a Go News will be running the hospitality tents which serve people free tea, coffee and water. The chocolate wheel will be spinning at the main tent every hour with great prizes available.
Food vendors will on hand selling food.
A free shuttle bus service will run between the Burswood train station and the festival and there is free parking at Crown and surrounding carparks.
When Have a Go Day began in 1991 it was at Taylor Reserve in South Perth. It moved to McCallum Park in 1992 before the Burswood Park Board invited the SRCWA bring Have a Go Day to Burswood Park in 1993.
It has been there ever since and is now regarded as the premier event for Western Australia’s Seniors Week.
A dedicated team of volunteer coordinators work tirelessly to organise Have a Go Day – the layout of the event, manage the transport, shuttle buses and parking, coordinate different areas around the grounds on the day, and manage set up and pack down.
