A new exhibition of art created by cancer patients was unveiled at the weekend.

The exhibition, held in St Peter’s Church in Dorchester and organised by Weldmar, was officially unveiled by the charity’s chairman, Stephen Baynard, on Saturday.

In a welcoming speech Stephen said: “Thank you for coming to enjoy this wonderful art exhibition.

“This is a celebration of artwork created by Weldmar Hospicecare’s day services patients.

“Weldmar offers day services to patients in Dorset across five different locations, providing the opportunity to meet new people and share experiences.

“Jennie, our day services leader, says patients quite often come into day services for the first time nervous about doing art, but it doesn’t take much persuasion to get them involved.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate what they have achieved.”

Jean Lover, who attends the day services in Blandford, created an eye-catching mosaic of a kingfisher, which is on display in the church.

Speaking about her piece, she said: “I always loved them and have seen them near Wimborne.”

Discussing the art group, she added: “It’s enlightening, you mix with other people with similar stories and it helps you cope.

“Within the group you can talk about anything.”

Beryl Gilbert, who attends the Dorchester day services art group, said: “It’s wonderful, I said I wouldn’t go in the first place. It’s completely different and I have made friends through it. I never did any art before I joined. It’s also been good to see what the other art groups have been doing.”

Irene Stockley, also from the Dorchester group said: “I am a complete novice I was one of those who said I couldn’t do that, but I’ve made a flower pot. It’s wonderful and so beneficial, you would think we all were sisters.”

Jenny Wood, day services leader at Weldmar Hospicecare, described where the idea to showcase the patient’s work came.

She said: “We were talking about how patients get so much from creating and learning new skills but never really have the opportunity to show it off to anyone, so we thought part of being artists is having the opportunity to exhibit your work.”

Debbie Elsmore, another creative practitioner, who has been working with the patients, said: “They’re all very proud of their work. Other than this they don’t have the opportunity to show it off.”

The exhibition will be open between 11am and 4pm at St Peter’s Church in Dorchester on weekdays and between 12pm to 4pm on weekends until Sunday.