In advance of Remembrance Day, award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group has proudly supported the Royal British Legion (RBL) through a series of initiatives honouring the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces and their families.

At its Canalside Quarter development in Oxford, Hill partnered with the Royal British Legion and Wolvercote Primary School to create a striking poppy memorial garden, unveiled on Friday 7 November by the school children, the school's Business Manager Louise Eames, Yanto Evans from the Royal British Legion, and representatives from Hill. The display, formed of hundreds of windmill poppies crafted by pupils, is open to the public until 12 November, when the children will take their poppies home.

Prior to the unveiling, the school welcomed Yanto Evans, a former Falklands War veteran representing the Royal British Legion, who delivered an engaging assembly about the importance and significance of Remembrance Day. Yanto shared his personal experiences and spoke about the challenges faced by veterans after leaving the Armed Forces and how the Royal British Legion provides crucial support to serving personnel, veterans, and their families.

In the week leading up to the event, all 270 pupils from Years 1-6 at Wolvercote Primary received windmill poppy kits to assemble at school. They also helped raise money for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal through sales of official merchandise.

Yanto Evans, former Falklands War veteran and Royal British Legion representative, commented: “I was pleased to have the opportunity to talk to the children at Wolvercote Primary School about the importance of Remembrance Day. It was inspiring to see how engaged they were, asking thoughtful questions about my time in the army. I was delighted to then join them to unveil their windmill poppies on display in the memorial garden at Hill's Canalside Quarter.”

“Educating children about the meaning behind the poppy is essential. It helps them understand that strength comes from sharing and supporting one another. The Royal British Legion is currently supporting more than 7,000 members of the Armed Forces community with practical and emotional guidance.”

Louise Eames, Business Manager at Wolvercote Primary School, added: “We place great importance on our pupils' understanding of history. With the help of Yanto Evans from the Royal British Legion and Hill, our children were able to learn about Remembrance Day in an engaging and meaningful way.”

Rebecca Littler, Group Sales and Marketing Director at The Hill Group, added: “It was a privilege to work alongside the Royal British Legion, Wolvercote Primary School, and our project partners to bring these initiatives to life. These activities reflect the strong community spirit we strive to nurture within all our developments, creating places where people can come together to share experiences and honour important moments in our collective history. Supporting educational and community projects like these sits at the heart of Hill's values, and we are proud to help inspire the next generation to understand the significance of remembrance and the power of community.”

Created with family life at its core, Canalside Quarter offers a warm and welcoming environment where community spirit and everyday convenience come together seamlessly. Designed to promote walking and cycling, its verdant parks, historic woodlands, scenic canalside trails, and leafy streets provide a restorative setting for residents. Featuring a mix of contemporary apartments and family homes set within eight acres of open green space, Canalside Quarter forms part of the Oxford North masterplan, shaping a vibrant and sustainable lifestyle for future generations.

Meanwhile, The Hill Group raised £14,000 for the Royal British Legion through generous donations from suppliers, subcontractors, and colleagues.  The fundraising initiative was led by Cain Peters, Managing Director of Special Projects at The Hill Group and a former serviceman, who organised the campaign and presented a ceremonial cheque to Graham Ferris and Peter Wakeham, the Regional and Surrey Poppy Appeal Managers and former veterans.

This year's Poppy Appeal funds contribute to the Royal British Legion's ongoing work in providing mental and physical recovery programmes, financial guidance, housing assistance, and support for veterans transitioning into civilian life. The campaign continues to serve as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces and the importance of remembrance across generations.

To find out more about information, please visit www.hill.co.uk or contact canalsidequarter@hill.co.uk / 01865 950 199.

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About The Hill Group

The Hill Group is a top 10 housebuilder* and one of the leading developers in London, the home counties, and the South. The company is renowned for its partnership ethos, specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities where people want to live, work, and socialise.

In its 26th year, this family run company has grown to establish itself as the UK's second-largest privately-owned housebuilder, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of projects ranging from landmark, mixed-use regenerations, and inner-city apartment developments to homes in rural communities. 

Employing over 950 people, the company operates from five strategically located regional offices including Bristol and Abingdon to help facilitate growth in the South West and the Midlands, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. 

Hill completed more than 2,800 homes in the last financial year and has a development pipeline of over 32,000 homes, including 10,200 with planning consent. Around half of its portfolio is in joint ventures to deliver a range of mixed-tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients. 

Since the company was founded in 1999, Hill has won over 500 industry awards, including the esteemed title of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020 and 2023. Most recently in 2024, Millside Grange in Croxley Green won The Standard's Homes & Property Award for Best Commuter Home.

Hill's dedication to delivering the highest quality homes and exceptional customer service has earned the housebuilder its 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past eight years. Hill is a registered developer with the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and follows the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC), a new industry standard to ensure high-quality homes and an exceptional customer experience. With a score of 4.8 out of 5, Hill is also ranked as the number one housebuilder on Trustpilot.

In addition, Hill is donating 200 fully equipped modular homes to local authorities and homeless charities as part of a £15 million pledge through its Foundation 200 programme, launched in 2019 to mark Hill's 20th anniversary.

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For more information, contact The Oracle Group PR Agency on Tel: 020 8394 2821 or hill@oraclepr.co.uk

*The Hill Group was listed within the top 10 of the Top 150 UK Contractors and Housebuilders published by Building.co.uk in December 2024