The Bradley Stoke War Memorial

Bradley-Stoke-MemorialThe 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group and the Willow Brook Centre are very proud to announce the creation of a war memorial in Bradley Stoke.

A simple granite pillar has been erected in the Town Square with a poppy carving, traditional poem and a Scout Remembrance badge.   This is a generic memorial to remember all members of our armed forces (and civilians who support them) who have died due to conflict. Every year Scouts are heavily involved in Remembrance ceremonies around the world and our young people learn of its significance.   This new memorial can now be a focus point for observing Remembrance Sunday and ensuring each successive generation never forgets the sacrifices of others. The town s geographic landscape has many links to warfare as well as a major MOD base (Abbey Wood) nearby.     This year also sees the Centenary of the beginning of the First World War, making the memorial s creation all the more relevant.

The Town Square was chosen as it provides a hard standing where a large number of people can safely gather (our Scout group alone has 200 members and Remembrance takes place in November when more rural locations are often boggy & muddy).   The central location is accessible to all, has plenty of parking and is patrolled by security guards to protect the memorial from potential vandalism.

The team behind this project has been Scott Lahive (the Willow Brook Centre Manager), Clive Mason, Ben Walker and Katherine Robinson (the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group) and the talented Alwyn Leek (Bristol and West Memorials). The memorial was entirely funded by the Willow Brook Centre & the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group.

The inscription on the memorial (part of the “We will remember them ” poem) was chosen by nearly 250 responses from members of the Bradley Stoke community. The Scout Remembrance badge was designed by a young Scout for the National Memorial Aboretum in Stafford where a memorial dedicated to all Scouts who have died in war is currently being planned www.tsmp.org.uk

There will be an official opening and dedication ceremony (date to be announced) and Bradley Stoke Scouts would like to extend an invitation to everyone and especially all our youth groups and schools in Bradley Stoke to attend all future Remembrance events in the Town Square.

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