A FUNDRAISING appeal has been launched to improve children’s facilities at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The Alrewas centre for remembrance welcomes more than 20,000 young people for learning visits each year.
As well as revamping two play areas, the arboretum is also hoping the £150,000 target will help pay for a refurbishment of the Garden of the Innocents, which features an Elder tree planted in memory of Anne Frank who died 80 years ago in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Each year, the tree’s blossoms are removed on 12th June – Anne’s birthday – to prevent it bearing fruit and symbolising the way she was never able to reach adulthood.
Other features in the garden, which was originally funded by donations from a range of groups, include white flowers and raised beds shaped like jigsaw pieces.
Philippa Rawlinson, director of the National Memorial Arboretum, said:
“Passing the baton of remembrance to the next generation is a fundamental part of our role as the nation’s year-round place to remember.
“As custodians of inspirational stories about the service and sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces, emergency services and civilian organisations, engagement with young people is crucial to ensuring that these memories will be preserved in perpetuity.
“Young people have a natural affinity with the stories encapsulated within the Garden of the Innocents, inviting them to contrast their own lives with those of children impacted by conflict.
“Our play areas are also important as they encourage young families to visit the arboretum, and we are eager to incorporate greater storytelling into them as part of our reimagining.”
Businesses and individuals are being invited to become project partners by offering financial and practical support, such as material donations, equipment hire and skilled labour.
For more details visit the National Memorial Arboretum website.