Charity dress made from 3,000 poppies

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34517886

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A dress made from 3,000 paper poppies has been unveiled ahead of this year's charity appeal.

The dress was created by Sarah Bryan who has made dresses from 145 bags of Skittles sweets and cake decorations.

The beautician, from Osett, Wakefield, said she admired the Royal British Legion's work and hoped the dress would help raise donations and awareness.

The dress was unveiled at the Malmaison hotel in Birmingham where it will be exhibited until 11 November.

Ms Bryan said the dress was for her also a "symbol of pride in being British".

The hotel in Wharfside Street will be selling poppies and also hosting a Veteran's Lunch next month.

The Royal British Legion, which is marking the centenary of World War One, says this year's Poppy Appeal, which starts on 22 October, is "for the memory of the fallen and the future of the living".

Ms Bryan said she takes inspiration from "every day life" and seeing a poppy-print sheet on her neighbour's washing line gave her the idea for her latest project.

"The British Legion were very helpful and donated all the poppies. I didn't realise I would need so many - I originally asked for 1,000 but had to get back to them two more times," she said.

The 27-year-old who visited the Tower of London's display of nearly 9,000 ceramic poppies last year said she was not sure what would happen to the dress after 11 November, but hoped it would raise more money for the charity.