WIVELISCOMBE celebrated the unveiling of the Children of the Great War Memorial Mosaic in Jubilee Gardens and the culmination of the two year Heritage Lottery Fund project led by the Wiveliscombe Civic Society.

Local artists Jo Dove and Sara Fairfax worked with the children of the town to produce a piece that, when the green veil fell back, drew gasps of admiration from a big crowd.

It is hoped the mosaic will be the focus of commemorative events for years to come.

The Mayor of Taunton Deane, Cllr Vivienne Stock-Williams was present, as was Nerys Watts, the head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the South West, who was assisted in the formal unveiling by Evelyn Cherry, a former pupil of Wiveliscombe Primary School.

Evelyn read her prize-winning poem ‘The Poppy Field’ and Callum Chapple also received a prize for his artwork that is featured in the book and set of postcards to accompany the memorial, which were also launched on Saturday.

There was also the opportunity to have Great War mementos professionally photographed as part of the project archive, and a ‘Great War Bake-off’, judged by the Mayor, was won by Elizabeth Fielding.

Pauline Homeshaw, Chair of the Civic Society, explained that in 2014 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £10,000 to the project, to work with the children to discover the memories and heritage of the local people whose families lived through the First World War.

The children researched the war’s history, visited the Somerset Heritage Centre and St Andrew’s churchyard and have also spoken to residents of the local care home, Pulsford Lodge, to inspire their work on the mosaic memorial.

The Civic Society would like to thank everyone who made the two year project so successful.