A LIFESIZE soldier made of chicken wire has taken up residence at Wellington Academy.
Armed forces charity SSAFA Wiltshire’s newest recruit Private Mainwaring has joined the academy for its summer arts exhibition.
Private Mainwaring is a 5ft 3ins model of a First World War soldier in the Wiltshire Regiment and has been made in chicken wire by Oxfordshire amateur artist Peter Lovegrove.
He wears facsimile cap badge and medals awarded to Private H.E Baker of The Wiltshire Regiment (the real ones have been acquired by Wiltshire SSAFA).
Wellington Academy was chosen for his first posting because of its close links to the military.
Karen Thomas, the community engagement coordinator for Wiltshire SSAFA, said: “We hope that Private Mainwaring will encourage young people to think about the faces behind the names of those who served in that war.”
The exhibition begins on Monday and lasts for two weeks.
Private Mainwaring will be touring the county over the next few months and will be joining the commemorations at Tidworth Cemetery on Wednesday, July 30.
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