09-Nov-2021

Become A School Guardian

Schools like yours are becoming Guardians of the British Normandy Memorial. Their support is critical to protecting and preserving the memory of the 22,442 servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom on D-Day and during the Normandy campaign of WW2.

Why the Memorial needs School Guardians
D-Day, 6 June 1944, is a date synonymous with all that is best: the indomitable spirit of a generation which would not be defeated; the courage and selflessness of the many thousands who took part in or made possible the greatest amphibious landings in history. Above all, it will be remembered with pride for centuries as the moment when Britain with its Allies restored to western Europe a prize of incalculable value: freedom.

The United Kingdom finally has a permanent National Memorial in Northern France that records in one place the names of all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the liberty we enjoy today.

The British Normandy Memorial overlooking Gold Beach was officially opened on the 6th of June 2021 by the Prince of Wales.

It is a place of national importance, of serene and quiet contemplation where we can look back with gratitude and reflect on the lessons of the past, so that this and future generations may apply those lessons to the present.

It is a place of remembrance for the last survivors of those events and the families of those who died in Normandy in 1944 – and where many thousands of others, now and in the future, will be able to remember and to pass on the legacy of remembrance to future generations.

Your annual support of the Memorial will ensure the preservation and protection of the Memorial so that your generation and all those who follow, will never forget that greatest generation.

How to become a School Guardian
School Guardians commit to an annual donation of between £1k-£3k per annum by direct debit for a minimum commitment of three years.

Funds could be raised through students’ inventiveness, creativity, and talents from initiatives such as sponsored challenge events, bake sales, dress-down days etc. The Normandy Memorial Trust will be on hand to support and promote your activities.

Your school will receive a Guardian certificate signed by Veteran Patron George Batts and Veteran Ambassador Harry Billinge.

Your school’s name will also appear on the British Normandy Memorial website as a school dedicated to the memory of our D-Day heroes.

Students will be encouraged to learn more about the people behind the names on the Memorial – details of which can be accessed via the Normandy digital visitor App.

Through the App you will be able to:

Search the Roll of Honour –
Our database features details on all the 22,442 servicemen and women commemorated and their precise location on the Memorial.

Discover stories behind the names
Narrated videos, archive material and family memories tell the moving accounts of some of the servicemen and women commemorated.

The coastline
Learn about points of interest along the Normandy beaches with an augmented reality guide.

On behalf of Harry, George, and the remaining members of the Normandy Veteran community, thank you for considering your support to perpetuate the memory of their fallen friends.

If you would like any further information, please contact Julie at Julie.verne@normandymemorialtrust.org Freephone: 0800 470 1002