Fields in Trust has
started its Centenary Fields Legacy campaign to mark the sacrifice of those who
gave their lives during World War I and the legacy the Centenary Fields
programme is creating.
August 8, 2018
marked the centenary of the start of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive, which
began with the Battle of Amiens.
Fields in Trust Head
of Programmes, Angela Lewis, said: "It is an appropriate time to reflect
on the World War I generation as we approach the end of the commemoration
period and here at Fields in Trust between now and 11th November we are telling
the story of our Centenary Fields programme.
"Since 2014, we
have been working in partnership with The Royal British Legion and communities
up and down the UK to protect parks and green spaces in perpetuity in honour of
those who fought and lost their lives in World War I.
"Each day,
until 11th November, we will showcase one of the protected Centenary Fields on
an online interactive map and tell its story, which will also be our
contribution to The Royal British Legion's ThankYou campaign – a national movement to say 'Thank You' to the entire
generation who lived through the war, served, sacrificed and changed our world.
Local communities will join in and express their gratitude too.
"Stories that
we will tell include the contribution of individual combatants, some famous
names among them; the memorials that remember the fallen, from simple village
stone crosses to more extravagant commemorative sculpture; the way in which
sites served the war effort and also those green spaces with a contemporary
resonance - communities doing something now to remember the sacrifice of 100
years ago.
"And we should
not forget the efforts that local communities made up and down the country
after the war to create the memorials, whether it was people coming together to
pay a subscription to install a memorial in a park or a bereaved relative gifting
a park to their community in memory of a loved one who fell. One hundred years
ago people would have taken for granted that the park or recreation ground
would always be there, so we ask local authorities that have not yet been part
of the Centenary Fields
programme to join before it closes later this year.
"Protecting
their memorial parks with Fields in Trust will ensure they are not lost and
that they become part of the valuable legacy we are creating from the World War
I commemorations."
The Centenary Fields
programme publicly demonstrates the nation's gratitude to the World War I
generation in a unique way and the commitment of landowners across the country
means that when the commemorations are over their local communities will always
have somewhere for play, sport – or a quiet moment of reflection.
