Pupils from Skegness Academy have been praised for their creativity, dedication and community spirit after a collection of moving Remembrance sculptures went on display in the heart of Skegness.
The five hand-crafted pieces are now being exhibited at the Skegness Branch of the Royal British Legion's hub in the Hildreds Centre, where they form part of this year's Poppy Appeal display.
The sculptures, each inspired by different aspects of wartime history and remembrance, were created by pupils from across the academy who worked tirelessly to complete the project before half term.
The display follows the success of Hetty, the much-loved war horse sculpture made from purple crocheted poppies, which was unveiled last year and is once again on display alongside the new creations.
This year's sculptures are:
- The Cold War Monolith – featuring the words "Courage, Duty and Home" written in Morse code, reflecting the hidden communication networks used during wartime.
- Carried Home – a powerful wire-framed bear representing the experiences of children displaced during the Second World War. Created by sixth form pupils, the sculpture incorporates crocheted poppies crafted by community members and handwritten evacuation tags aged by Year 7 pupils.
- The Long Voyage South – a whale sculpture created by staff and Year 10 pupils from the Academy's Beyond the Classroom art club, commemorating those who served during the Falklands War.
- Beyond the Shore – a painted monolith depicting a female soldier watching the sunrise over Skegness beach, encouraging reflection on the sacrifices made by service personnel both past and present.
- Silent Waters – a cardboard sculpture of a sinking trawler featuring miniature sea mines, highlighting the dangers faced by fishermen during the Second World War.
The project was designed to involve more pupils across the Academy, encourage cross-curricular learning and inspire meaningful conversations about remembrance and service.
A spokesperson for the Academy said:
"A huge amount of work has gone into the sculptures from the art department, our Beyond the Classroom art club, the entire Sixth Form cohort and pupils studying art in Year 10. There has been research into historical events, letter writing, building, painting, drawing, crafting, community donations and a lot of learning."
"The conversations that each sculpture has evoked with pupils across the Academy have been incredible, and it has been wonderful to see the impact they were having before they had even left the classroom."
The Academy also paid tribute to Year 13 pupil Hollie, who played a leading role in bringing the project to life.
"We would like to say a special thank you to Hollie in Year 13. Hollie took on a lot of responsibility for this year's project, including supporting the running of the art club, decorating one of the sculptures alongside Tilly, Poppy and Taya, and staying after school to help move the models ready for collection."
Members of the public have already shared their admiration for the display, with one resident describing it as "so lovely to see young people showing an interest", while another commented: "Well done to all involved, this is amazing."
The Academy is encouraging local residents to visit the exhibition and discover the stories behind each sculpture.
"Each sculpture has a story behind it, and we strongly recommend visiting them at the Hildreds Centre alongside Hetty, who is celebrating her first birthday this weekend."
The Academy also thanked the Hildreds Centre and the Skegness Branch of the Royal British Legion for their ongoing support and for providing pupils with the opportunity to contribute to an important community remembrance project.
