Arboretum celebrates 25 years as nation’s year-round place to remember
Hundreds of young people from schools across the Midlands took to the stage on Friday, bringing the National Memorial Arboretum’s first 25 years to life and heralding the start of its anniversary celebration weekend.
The collaborative celebratory performance, featuring music, poetry, dance, and theatre was the culmination of an eight-week in-school programme of creative workshops.
Max Smith, a Year 4 student from Dordon Primary School who participated in the performances, said: “We learnt about why we need to remember people and how this special place was created. I was proud to help tell those stories in our performance.”
Celebrations continued across the weekend, with two days of performances, shared moments of reflection and storytelling, and the launch of a new Heritage Hub.
On Saturday, visitors witnessed the stories reflecting acts of service in the Armed Forces at the 150-acre estate.
Performances on Sunday was focused on celebrating the diverse communities that have grown and prospered through collective Remembrance, participation and reflection.
Throughout the weekend, visitors were taken on an emotional musical journey, from moving spoken word and the soul-stirring harmonies of Black Voices to the vibrant South Asian artistry of Sampad, performances from Armed Forces community members through Talent in the Ranks, uplifting sets from community choirs and musical pomp provided by the Band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Warwickshire.
Philippa Rawlinson, director of the National Memorial Arboretum and director of Remembrance for the Royal British Legion, said: “During our first 25 years, what began as the seed of an idea has grown into a vibrant year-round Remembrance landscape, freely open to all.
“Thanks to an ever-growing community and collective efforts, a series of muddy fields has been transformed to realise our founder’s ambitious vision for a dedicated centre of Remembrance.
“Today we are home to more than 420 memorials to the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and civilian organisations, helping us preserve inspirational stories of service and sacrifice, supporting our work to pass the baton of Remembrance to future generations.”
The Heritage Hub, supported by a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is part of an 18-month archival project to preserve the memories and experiences that have shaped the site since its inception.
It will document the site’s first 25 years of history since it was founded by Commander David Childs CBE. The naval veteran established the dedicated Remembrance space on former quarry workings, and the estate is now an inspirational living tribute to those who serve our nation.
The Arboretum became part of the Royal British Legion in 2003 and sits at the heart of RBL's Remembrance work following the full integration of the charities earlier this year.
Already welcoming more than 300,000 visitors each year, including 25,000 young people on learning visits, this next chapter is unlocking opportunities for even greater investment in an enhanced visitor experience and the creation of new opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with Remembrance.
The estate’s 25 Years of… programme continues throughout 2026, with a series of exhibitions, events, and activities celebrating the stories, milestones, and moments that have shaped the Arboretum’s story since it opened to the public on 16 May 2001.
