A COMMUNITY art group’s imaginative and poignant tribute to the fallen of the First World War is on show.

Thousands of handmade poppies make up the display at the Tank Museum, Bovington.

It includes a cannon, two uniformed mannequins and a tree, which has more than 18,000 poppies attached.

It is inspired by the ceramic poppy display at the Tower of London in 2014 to mark the centenary of the First World War – and it is all down to the handiwork of scores of volunteers who contributed to the project, co-ordinated by the Weymouth-based Let’s Make It art group.

Based on a design by local artist Lesley Pitney, it has involved 300 volunteers making the 36,000 poppies over the past ten months.

The display will also be seen at Weymouth Library later in the year but that’s not the end.

Cllr Mary Penfold, West Dorset District Council’s Executive Portfolio Holder for Enabling, said: “The project does not end this year – it will be carrying on during 2017.

“Workshops will be organised at various locations across Dorset and at Bovington Tank Museum where people can come along and create a poppy and dedicate it to a lost loved one who had links with the military.”

Theses poppies will then form part of a cenotaph will be at the centre of a display during 2017 and 2018.

The Let`s Make it group is run by volunteers and is made up of more than 300 members.

Supported by community development officer Julie Hursthouse, the group was was set up in 2010 to bring people of all ages together to learn new skills whilst having fun.

Over the past few years the group has raised more than £20,000 for various projects, including over £12,000 for the Royal British Legion from making and selling knitted poppies.

The group were involved in the Olympic legacy project making British wool cushions for the Olympic sailors in Weymouth and Portland, and made the driftwood boats to welcome visitors to Weymouth.

The group have also made knitted teddies for Weymouth hospital patients, Twiddlemuffs for people living with dementia and knitted chicks to raise monies for local charities.

The latest work is on display at the Tank Museum until November 25 after which it will move to Weymouth Library for two weeks.

The group then needs somewhere dry and sealed to store the items for 10 months.

If you can help contact Julie Hursthouse on 01305 838497 or email jhursthouse@dorset.gov.uk