THE number of churches selling white poppies has increased for the first time, peace campaigners said today.

More churches are offering both white and red poppies so that their congregations can make their own choice, according to the Peace Pledge Union (PPU).

The findings follow the launch of a White Poppies for Churches pack by the PPU and Christian pacifist charity the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR).

The PPU said the increase reflects a general rise in white poppy sales, with the number of orders doubling since the same time last year.

PPU co-ordinator Symon Hill argued that compassion cannot stop at national borders.

“With 90 per cent of victims of war being civilians, I am pleased that more churches are recognising the need to remember all victims of war to commit themselves to working for peace,” he said.

White poppies represent remembrance of all victims of war, a commitment to peace and a rejection of attempts to “glamorise or sanitise” armed conflict, whereas red poppies only commemorate British and allied armed forces personnel.

The PPU said it had encountered seen some hostility and misunderstanding. One Anglican church, St Oswald’s in Malpas, Cheshire, refused to allow some members of its congregation to hang a banner because it featured white poppies.

Oliver Robertson of the FoR said: “Jesus told his followers to put away the sword and broke many of society’s taboos in his efforts to show that everyone has value in the eyes of God.

“A remembrance service that limits who should be mourned is not, we believe, being faithful to that message, which is why we wanted to provide an alternative for those churches that feel the same way.”