A MOVING display of 1,000 handcrafted sunflowers has been unveiled at Poole Park.

Each of the sunflowers, which will remain at the park’s rose garden throughout September, represent the life of a person cared for at the Forest Holme Hospice.

The plastic sunflowers measure 35cm tall by 22cm wide and have been handmade by the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, which played an integral part in the Tower of London poppy display.

Forest Holme charity fundraising manager Hannah Parsons said: “This is a unique way to show the impact Forest Holme has locally.

“The sunflowers are a visual representation of the 1,000 local people who receive specialist care from the team at Forest Holme Hospice each year.”

The Sunflower Garden is being supported by Sainsbury’s, Pitwines Close, who selected the Poole hospice as its charity partner for 2016.

Store manager Kev Strowger said: “We feel immensely proud to support this unique event and our staff played an active role in planting the sunflowers.

“Our customers have voted to support the hospice for two consecutive years and value the life enhancing work delivered by the team at Forest Holme.”

Forest Holme Hospice, which is part of the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, must raise £750,000 each year to continue providing specialist care for patients living with advanced cancer and other life limiting illnesses.

Meanwhile, the Forest Holme Hospice Charity works to raise these vital funds through a range of initiatives and fundraising drives.

The charity’s fundraising promise states: “Being a small, local charity, we feel very strongly about ensuring Forest Holme’s supporters are not put under any pressure to donate to our cause. This is why you will never receive a cold call from a member of our team to solicit donations and we do not buy or share personal data, or allow anyone else to do so on our behalf.

“Our guarantee to you, in return for your vital support, is that your generous donations will be well spent where they are most needed, and in the most cost-effective way possible.”

From the beginning of October, the sunflowers will be available to take away for £25 each.

They can be pre-ordered in advance.

Visit Sunflower-appeal.myshopify.com to reserve one.