A total of 320 large-scale poppies, painted by students from local intermediate schools, will be placed around the cenotaph at Memorial Park for the commemoration of the centenary of Armistice Day at 11am on Sunday.

This moving tribute is a collaboration between Tauranga City Council, The Incubator Creative Hub and schools in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty with the poppies providing an emotive setting for the marking of the centenary of Armistice Day.

Peta Elliott, Xara Murray, Lekroop Kaur and Grace Gibson from Tauranga Intermediate are taking part in the poppy project, that aims to engage students in the history and meaning of Armistice Day.

'After four horrific years of tragedy and suffering, the First World War came to an end with the signing armistice between Germany and the allied countries on November 11 1918. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the gory battlefields fell silent.”

'As a group of keen artists, we've recreated the poppies that lay amongst the fallen soldiers who died whilst fighting for their country's rights. We have used a bright red colour to represent the blood of the wounded and dead soldiers. Each poppy has been made unique like all the soldiers on the battlefields risking their lives for the generations to come.”

Come together and commemorate Armistice Day on 11 November at Memorial Park:

Armistice Centenary Service
Sunday, 11 November 2018 at 11am
The city's official Armistice Centenary service will begin with a ‘march on' at 10.45am, led by the Tauranga Pipe Band. A minute silence will be observed at 11am, followed by a karakia, a welcome by Mayor Greg Brownless, prayers and scripture readings, and the Roll of Honour with local students laying poppies and rosemary on the corresponding 109 white crosses.

Field of Remembrance
Friday, 9 November to Friday, 16 November
Visit the Field of Remembrance with 109 named crosses representing Tauranga's men who died in the First World War.

Homecomings: From Tauranga to the Trenches
Friday, 9 November to Monday, 12 November
Explore the stories of our soldiers who made it back to Aotearoa in this unique exhibition.

Armistice Poppy installation
Sunday, 11 November to Friday, 16 November

Find out more at www.tauranga.govt.nz/armisticeday