Local veterans and their families are being encouraged to secure their place in history on the Telford Veterans Trail – a commemorative new pathway in Telford Town Park leading to the existing War Memorial.
Officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen Consort on 14th March 2023, the Telford Veterans Trail charity are now aiming to complete the landmark in time to honour the towns’ veterans this Remembrance Day.
Having already attracted considerable interest, the trail consists of commemorative marble plaques laid side by side – as brothers and sisters in arms – providing a lasting tribute to our country’s veterans. Inspired by the National Veterans Walk in Sunderland, the project – which is the brainchild of ex-Army personnel and Chairperson of the Telford Veteran Trail charity, Erica Hanson-McKenzie – is backed by the Rotary Club and Telford and Wrekin Council, and received a generous donation by Balfour Beatty.
In order to highlight the importance of recognising today’s veterans – so that they receive the support they so massively deserve – the charity are now driving forward this project to get more and more families involved, and more individuals honoured in this way.
Erica says: “Telford is the perfect place to celebrate veterans. It has many military links and there are, at this time, 8066 veterans and over 16,000 service personnel living in the Borough. And it’s these individuals that the Telford Veterans Trail wants to celebrate, creating a dedicated place to recognise their contribution and bravery. Because sadly it is often those living veterans who are forgotten.
As a nation we are great at remembering the fallen, but we have a long way to go in giving thanks for the service of living veterans, hence the Telford Veterans Trail motto is ‘Saluting Today’s Veterans’.
The trail has been six years in the making, and I hope it will become a treasured setting forevermore – providing a source of celebration, comfort and reflection for both veterans and those still serving with HM Forces today.”
The opportunity to be a part of this exciting commemorative project is open to all veterans, serving personnel or their loved ones, however plaques are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis.
Anybody interested can find out more by visiting the Telford Veterans Trail website at https://www.telfordsveterantrail.co.uk where plaques can be ordered – with a proportion of all plaque proceeds going towards helping local veteran charities. Charitable donations are also gratefully received.
Editor is the team behind Love Shrewsbury keeping you up to date with news and events.
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