Dudley remembrance tribute

Published: Friday, 09 November 2018

 THE Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust is marking the centenary of the end of World War One with two art installations created by the local community.

The Dudley Tunnel entrance at the attraction has been covered with 224 poppies, each handmade by visitors to the site during the year.

DudleyPoppiesCommemorates those who served in conflicts

The poppies are made of a variety of materials including wool, foam, wire, ribbon, plastic bottles, paint and other recycled materials. Children and adults have all contributed to the installation, which commemorates all the people from Dudley and surrounding areas who have served in conflicts.

Inside the Portal building, a companion installation made of over 200 poppies of paper, foam and vinyl greets visitors as they enter the foyer. These poppies too were handmade by visitors to the Trust's Festival of Light, an annual one-day community event that offers visitors the chance to enjoy a free trip into the tunnels and caverns.

Work of hundreds of visitors

Sarah Fellows, Heritage Activities Officer at the Trust, comments:

"It's been great to see so many people getting involved with the project during 2018," she says. "These installations are the work of hundreds of visitors. This cooperative spirit from everyone of all ages has really brought home the meaning of this period of remembrance."

The poppies will be on display at the Trust's site on the Birmingham New Road until November 26th. Admission to the Portal building is free of charge, with the building open daily from 10am to 4pm.