War Memorials Trust facts for kids

The War Memorials Trust is a charity that helps protect and look after war memorials across the UK. These memorials are important places that remember people who died in wars. The Trust gives free advice and offers money (grants) to help fix and care for these special sites.

The War Memorials Trust often works with other groups like Historic England and Historic Environment Scotland. Together, they make sure war memorials are kept safe for the future. They also help people understand the history and meaning behind these memorials.

What the Trust Aims to Do

The charity has five main goals:

• To make war memorials look their best and last a long time. This means fixing them carefully and keeping their original design.
• To teach people the right ways to care for memorials. This includes how to clean, protect, and repair them. They also want everyone to know about the help the Trust offers.
• To help people feel more connected to war memorials. They want local communities to feel responsible for looking after their own memorials.
• To make sure money is always available for repairs. This helps keep memorials in good condition.
• To raise more money for the charity. This helps them continue their important work of protecting and caring for war memorials.

A Look at the Trust's History

The War Memorials Trust officially became a charity on May 7, 1997. It was first called "Friends of War Memorials." Some of the people who helped start it included Sir Donald Thompson, a Member of Parliament, and Winston S Churchill, who was the grandson of the famous wartime prime minister. Ian Davidson, a former Royal Marine, also helped. Sir Donald Thompson became the charity's director, and Winston S Churchill became its president.

The charity's original goal was to teach people about war memorials. It also aimed to encourage good citizenship by remembering those who died in wars. This included keeping war memorials safe and well-maintained.

At the end of 2004, the charity's leaders decided to change its name. In January 2005, "Friends of War Memorials" became "War Memorials Trust." They also got a new logo.

How the Trust Helps Memorials

The War Memorials Trust has a team of experts who give free advice about war memorial problems. They help people understand how to fix and care for these important sites. For example, in 2017 and 2018, they helped with over 360 new cases and answered more than 1,000 general questions.

Here are some examples of how the Trust has helped:

• Warehorne Providence Chapel war memorial: When a chapel closed, the Trust helped store this memorial safely. They then found a new home for it at the Ashford Borough Museum. The charity also paid £6,650 to fix and clean the memorial.
• Poole Park war memorial: A volunteer noticed this memorial needed help in 2007. After many talks and visits, the Trust gave a grant of £31,280 in 2019. This money helped pay for important repair work.

Grants for Repairs

The War Memorials Trust runs special programs that give money (grants) to fix and care for war memorials across the UK. In 2017, the Trust won an award for being a great funder.

They gave out a lot of money during the 100-year anniversary of World War I. This was because the UK and Scottish governments trusted the Trust's knowledge. They asked the Trust to manage extra money set aside for war memorials during this special time.

The Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund, supported by Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish government, gave £1 million to 154 projects in Scotland between 2013 and 2019. Across the UK, the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport supported the First World War Memorials Programme. This program worked with other groups like Civic Voice, Historic England, and Imperial War Museums. Through the War Memorials Trust, £2 million was given for repair projects. This helped communities make sure their memorials were cared for. The charity also received another £1 million to hire staff and get resources. This ensured all work followed the best practices to avoid damaging the old materials.

Even though the special centenary funding has ended, the War Memorials Trust will continue to offer grants. However, the amount of money available will be less.

Here are some projects that received funding from the Trust:

• Isle of Lewis war memorial: This tall tower is 85 feet high and remembers 1,151 men from World War I. It received the largest grant the Trust had ever given: £132,100. This money helped with big repair and care works.
• Welsh National War Memorial, Cardiff: A grant of £29,720 helped clean and repair the stone, lead roof, and fountain.
• Brookeborough, County Fermanagh: This memorial is made of carved limestone and has a lion sculpture. It was built to remember those from the Boer War, with names from both World Wars added later. The Trust gave a grant of £7,460 for its care and repair.

Special Projects

War Memorials Online

This website helps people understand the condition of war memorials across the UK. By collecting information about how memorials are doing, the War Memorials Trust can send help where it's needed most. The website lets anyone add and update records with photos, comments, and reports on the memorial's condition. In 2019, the site had over 40,000 records!

In Memoriam 2014

This project works with the SmartWater Foundation to protect metal parts of war memorials from being stolen or damaged. They use a special liquid called SmartWater to mark the metal. This makes it easier to track if it's stolen.

Many local councils have joined this program, including:

• Stockton Council
• Fylde Council
• Ashfield District Council
• Walsall Council
• Nottinghamshire County Council
• Derby City Council
• Ellesmere Town Council
• Sutton Council

First World War Memorials Programme

This program was a partnership supported by the UK government. It included Civic Voice, Historic England, Imperial War Museums, and War Memorials Trust. The program aimed to help people connect with their war memorials during the 100-year anniversary of the First World War. It also encouraged repairs and conservation work.

Learning Programme

In 2011, the War Memorials Trust started a program for young people called 'We will always remember.' The goal was to help young people understand the history of war memorials. This way, they could help protect them in the future. The program offered lesson materials for teachers and gave talks to schools and youth groups like Scouts, Cadets, and Duke of Edinburgh Award participants. While the program officially ended in 2019, the 'We will always remember' website is still available for educational work.

How You Can Get Involved

Membership

The War Memorials Trust has members who are individuals and other groups. By March 31, 2018, the charity had 2,641 members.

Volunteering

Regional volunteers help the Trust in many ways. They check on local war memorials and report any that are at risk. They also research memorials and help get them officially listed as historic sites. Volunteers promote the charity by giving talks and organizing events. By March 31, 2018, there were 149 Regional Volunteers across the UK.