A NEW image used on items being sold in this year’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal has been designed by a Sampford Arundel artist.

Royal Marine veteran Ian Lloyd’s artwork was chosen when he entered a legion competition to paint a picture of poppies for this year’s Remembrance merchandise.

Mr Lloyd, who teaches art classes in Wellington Rugby Club, said he was delighted the legion had chosen his captivating poppy field design to be printed on four different items.

The competition was run by The Drive Project, Recovery Through the Arts, an award-winning arts recovery programme for the Armed Forces community known as Bravo 22.

Wellington Poppy Appeal organiser Linda Trickey and Royal British Legion branch secretary Scott Godwin at the town's Pop Up Shop.
Wellington Poppy Appeal organiser Linda Trickey and Royal British Legion branch secretary Scott Godwin at the town's Pop Up Shop. (Tindle News)

Some of the merchandise and the original watercolour painting by Mr Lloyd, who is a member of Blesma, the charity for limbless veterans, has been put on display by Maxine Price and Charlotte Beatty in the window of their Nook and Cranny shop, in High Street, Wellington, until November 12.

All profits from sales of the items, which are also available from the Royal British Legion’ online Poppy Shop, will go toward the legion’s work in supporting the Armed Forces community.

The legion is using Wellington Town Council’s Pop Up Shop, in Fore Street, for the sale of poppies and wreaths until Saturday (November 9) ahead of the acts of Remembrance on Sunday and on Armistice Day (November 11).

A legion display which commemorates this year’s 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings n Normandy is also on display in the window of Wellington Museum until Wednesday (November 13).