Designs have been revealed for Capel St Mary’s very first war memorial, which will honour members of the village and surrounding area who lost their lives in battle.
The monument will be unveiled at 11am on November 11, 2018 - marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.
The dedication service will be accompanied by an exhibition featuring life in Capel St Mary in the period leading up to, during and shortly after the war; and in the evening a beacon will be lit near to the memorial.
With all the plans in place, Capel St Mary War Memorial Trust, the group in charge of the project, is appealing for donations to raise the last £15,000 needed for the construction work. Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a grant for educational initiatives linked to the memorial.
Gary Bunkell, chairman of the trust, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the project so far.
“We’re particularly keen to raise awareness among younger members of our community – inspiring them with the stories behind the events of the time and the local people involved.”
The designs for the memorial have been drawn up by Iain Bramhill, who works for property and construction consultancy Ingleton Wood, which has made a financial contribution towards the scheme, and is a Capel resident.
Iain said: “With the centenary of the end of the conflict fast approaching we felt it was the right time to create a permanent and fitting memorial to ensure that the sacrifices made by the residents of Capel St Mary and the surrounding area are not forgotten.”
David Cresswell, partner at Ingleton Wood, added: “Iain has lived in Capel St Mary for 40 years and when he asked us if we could help we were only too happy to say yes.”
Planning permission has been granted and the memorial will be located on the village green and bear the names of 33 men who were lost in the service of their country. Capel St Mary War Memorial Trust is carrying out research into the lives of the men commemorated and in due course this will be published in the form of a book and made available online.
For more information about the project or make a donation, see here or email Gary.
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