The Armed Forces Memorial, and its immediate surroundings, will be closed to visitors from 10am on Friday 8 August to 5pm on Sunday 17 August to allow us to prepare to host the national VJ Day 80 commemorations. The rest of the Arboretum's 150-acres will remain open to visitors as normal. We are sorry for any inconvenience this might cause and appreciate your understanding during this time.
To celebrate the The UK's first memorial for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender armed-forces personnel*, we will be running a day exploring themes around the design and concept of the memorial, the themes behind it and reflections on lived experiences.
Exploring personal stories within LGBTQ+ military history, students will take part in creative sessions around the memorial’s ‘Opened Letter’ design, undertake a moment of reflection to honour those that served in silence, and celebrate a future of openness and pride.
*Memorial expected Autumn 2025
To book your students spot on this free activity day for Key Stage 3, please use our online booking form below.
