Wartime twist to arboretum activities
A programme of Second World War-themed activities for families to take part in over the summer months has been unveiled in Staffordshire.
Visitors to the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, can participate in fun daily activities, attend special events, explore the woods and meadows accompanied by a guide and view a series of free exhibitions.
A training base has been erected where tools and skills deployed by the Special Operations Executive behind the scenes in the 1939-45 conflict are demonstrated. Costumed interpreters will guide visitors through the base every weekend until September 1 and on August bank holiday Monday.
The Merchant Navy Wood is now host to a commemorative art project in memory of all those who served in the D-Day landings. Visitors are invited to decorate one of 6,939 wooden vessels, each representing an allied craft involved in the operation, which will then be added to the ‘sea’ of ships in the wood.
A selection of toy construction materials can be used by aspiring engineers to craft some of the machines that played a crucial role in D-Day.
The fictional character Stick Man, from the Julia Donaldson children's books, features in the Arboretum’s free outdoor activity trail, for three to seven-year olds. The Arboretum also has two outdoor play areas.
There are three free exhibitions, including Landscapes of Life, the Arboretum’s permanent exhibition that examines the evolution of Remembrance practices and some of the personal stories behind the hundreds of memorials on site. Also, on display until September 1 are a photographic exhibition featuring D-Day veterans, and Silent Testimony, a series of paintings that explore the human impact of The Troubles.
