On a bright but very blustery day a party of Soroptimists from Crosby visited the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire.
First port of call was Plot 317, the garden set up in the name of Soroptimist International. This plot was secured through the foresight of former International President Lynn Dunning, well-known to many in SI Crosby. It was originally dedicated in 2003, then moved and re-dedicated four years later
The members then visited many key sites, such as the impressive Armed Forces Memorial on its mound, the Far East Prisoners of War Memorial Building and the Garden of the Innocents. In the Millennium Chapel of Peace and Forgiveness, a volunteer explained a little of the history of the Arboretum and pointed out some of the principal features in the Chapel itself. The Arboretum is a charity run by staff and volunteers, and is part of the Royal British Legion ‘family’.
Members then spent time exploring – however, it is so extensive that one day is really not enough to appreciate the wealth of memorials available. A trip, with commentary, on the land train offered much information on the symbolism associated with the individual memorials, as well as a slow-paced final view of the site.
President Sandy Taylor said, “The day was an amazingly emotive experience. We were in turn charmed, saddened and uplifted by everything we saw. The National Memorial Arboretum certainly merits repeat visits in order to appreciate the entire concept.”