Southend-on-Sea City Council won Communications Campaign of the Year at this year’s Management Journal Awards for its Poppies on the Pier display, which saw 110,000 hand-knitted poppies installed along the landmark.

The project was unveiled to mark Remembrance Day, and attracted more than 33,000 visitors to the pier throughout November, helping raise over £19,500 for the Royal British Legion and “capturing hearts across the UK.”

“I’m incredibly proud that Southend Council has won its first MJ Award for Communications Campaign of the Year for Poppies on the Pier,” said councillor Daniel Cowan. “What started as a beautiful act of remembrance with the Royal British Legion grew into something beyond anything we imagined, capturing hearts across the UK and around the world.”

“This award belongs to an extraordinary team and shows what we can achieve together – something our whole city can be proud of.”

The MJ Awards honour outstanding achievements in local government, and councillor Matt Dent said “I am incredibly proud of the Culture and Tourism, Southend Pier and council communications teams for their efforts on this, which richly deserve recognition.”

He added that Poppies on the Pier “became a beautiful and moving symbol of Remembrance and Southend-on-Sea’s civic pride.”