Millionaires have spent two days volunteering at the National Memorial Arboretum near Lichfield.
With a combined worth of more than £90million, the group of 35 National Lottery winners helped create a new path that leads up to the Shot at Dawn memorial, which commemorates the 306 British and Commonwealth soldiers executed for cowardice or desertion during World War One.
The memorial was created by Birmingham artist Andy De Comyn and shows a young soldier – a likeness of 17-year-old Private Herbert Burden, who lied about his age to enlist and was later shot for desertion – blindfolded and tied to a stake ready to face the firing squad. It is surrounded by a semicircle of stakes which list the names of every soldier executed.
The National Memorial Arboretum’s managing director Sarah Montgomery said: “We are very grateful to our Lottery volunteers who are working so hard to create a new path to the Shot At Dawn memorial.
“Their work is really helpful as part of our plans to welcome the increased numbers of visitors who will want to learn about the 1914 – 1918 period.”
The National Memorial Arboretum received £2.85m in October 2012 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards its £12m appeal to fund the development of a world-class Remembrance Learning Centre.
