As we start a new year, we bring you some snapshots of our highlights from last year …
Giving £43k in grants to our local community … to individuals, community groups and halls – and also a bursary to a student studing Law, History or English at university.
Clearing St Michael’s Church CWGC Graveyard … a project in its second year to help clear the overgrown graveyard behind the church where men from WW1 and WW2 are buried in CWGC plots, but where most of the gravestones were removed in the 1980s. Work will resume in 2026!
Meeting the wonderful Francis Greir… An absolute highlight, when Chair of Trustees, Warren Foot, interviewed the amazing and energetic 104 year old, Frances Grier, who was a parachute packer for the WAAF in WW2, and is one of Bexley’s oldest veterans.
Renovating our War Memorial … The Trust was revived as a grant giving charity almost 30 years ago and the Trustees commissioned a new war memorial, as the original East Wickham and Welling War Memorial was a memorial hall in Station Road (now demolished), in which the plaque of names had been long lost. The memorial was in need of some repair and renovation and the Trustees engaged the talented craftsmen at Wood Carving London to undertake the work.
Completing our online Second World War Memorial … Thanks to our wonderful volunteers, we have researched and uploaded the stories of the servicemen and women and civilians from our area who lost their lives in WW2, and we have been delighted to be contacted by a number of family members over the year who have shared more information with us.
Being commended in Parliament … The Trust was honoured that Daniel Francis, MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford (which also covers much of East and Welling), highlighted the work of the Trust to Parliament, in his speech in the 80th Anniversary VE Debate, on 6th May. His tribute, in particular, noted the work the Trust does in remembering those who lost their lives in WW2 in our area. Later in the year, members of the Trust also had a wonderful tour of Parliament, courtesy of the invitation of Louie French, MP, in recognition of the Trust’s contribution to the local community.
A year of local history … Thanks to our wonderfully talented Governor, Will Cooban, pictured with the only CWGC headstone that remains in St Michael’s Churchyard, the Trust has brought you another year of local history gems on our Facebook page.
Working with young people … As well as our amazing afternoon at East Wickham Primary School, we are delighted to sponsor the History Prize at Bexley Grammar School, provide an annual bursary and support our youth organisations, not only with rental grants, but in helping to honour their young members who win awards.
And last but not at all least, not forgetting our Festival of Remembrance, our main event for remembering those local men in all wars who gave their lives for peace. We remember especially those who died in the First World War, in whose memory a memorial hall was built, and which became the origins of our charity. All the work we do, we do in their memory.
Went the day well?
We died and never knew.
But, well or ill,
Freedom, we died for you.
Went the day well?
When you go home,
Tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today.
John Maxwell Edmonds (1875 -1958)