LADIES from the Royal British Legion today (Thursday) introduced a specially commissioned banner and quilt at the annual Craft Show West Point Arena, Exeter, to mark the centenary of the First World War.

Both banner and quilt will be on view at West Point for three days before setting off on display around the county, ending at Killerton House in November for hand over to the legion and raffle draw.

'War Horse' ridden by Lucinda McAlpine, former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod and Legion Standard Bearers will be in attendance at the launch.

In addition, there will be an exhibition of Great War memorabilia, which includes horseshoes from the Somme, trench art and recipes. Pictures of family members, anecdotes and family stories have also been collected.

The quilt of 50 squares entitled 'every stitch a memory' will be the main prize in a raffle. Other prizes include hand-made items donated by craftsmen and women from across the county.

Carole Arnold, the Royal British Legion's community fundraiser for Devon, likens the quilt to 'a field of poppies', evoking 'memory, honour, respect and emotion'.

The banner, officially called 'We will Remember', depicts a trench with a horse standing on a bridge.

Poppies donated by the legion are available for people to write the name of a family member who served in the Great War, together with the regiment or ship onto the poppy, which will be sewn around the main image. There will be a visitors' book for personal messages.

Children of military families have placed poppies on the banner in memory of the 'Men and Women of Devon' while West Devon's Dorothy Ellis, the last surviving widow of the First World War, has placed a poppy in memory of her husband Wilfred.

The banner, quilt and exhibition will be travelling around Devon throughout 2014.

Villages, parish communities, the women's institutes, and schools wishing to host this exhibition should contact Adrienne Howells on 07791 609068 or Carole Arnold on 07769 671590 or by emailing [email protected]">[email protected]