A dead tree is being 'reborn' at Dorset County Hospital in an art project to celebrate organ donation – and to encourage others to sign up.

Local artist Artist Kirkby is putting together a sculpture he calls Precious Scars in one of the hospital's courtyards.

The latest addition to the piece is an old oak tree with golden boughs, and it joins a a set of railway tracks already in position. The piece will be put together in the new year with the finished project unveiled in the spring.

The tree was donated by the Lulworth Estate, where it died some time ago.

As a ‘tree of life’, the sculpture is inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi where broken ceramics are lovingly restored with gold resin to highlight their wounds rather than to try to hide them.

In this way they are reused and become a thing of beauty instead of being thrown away.

Mr Kirkby sees this as a metaphor for the way in which organ donation is a gift of life that repairs the recipient.

The project is the initiative of the Organ Donation team at Dorset County Hospital, led by consultant anaesthetist Andy Ball and specialist nurse Helen Rose. It has been organised and supported by the charitable organisation Arts In Hospital.

In planning the sculpture, Mr Kirkby has spent time at the hospital speaking to the team, as well as organ recipients.

The team hope the sculpture will be seen as a way of thanking previous donors and their families for their gift, but also to encourage more people to consider signing up as donors and registering at www.organdonation.nhs.uk

Mr Ball said: “As clinical lead for organ donation at DCH, I have wanted in some way to celebrate the fantastic gift that our donors and their families have made to help the lives of others.

“A restructuring of one of the hospital courtyards with essential new equipment for a laboratory has left a vacant space requiring enhancement and has provided the perfect place for this celebration of life.

“We were excited to choose Andy Kirkby for the commission from a national field of 100 applicants. Andy had a clear understanding of what organ donation means and his resulting sculpture refers to the new life that this allows."

Mr Ball added: “It is urgent for us to get this message across as every day in the UK three people die while waiting for a donor organ and every donor has the potential to help up to six people.”