Memorial arboretum to mark milestone anniversary

The National Memorial Arboretum, one of the biggest focal points for remembrance in the UK, is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

The site in Alrewas, Staffordshire, which opened to the public in 2001, said it was expecting visitors from across the country to join the anniversary celebrations from Friday.

A weekend celebration event will focus on the stories connected to the site's 400 memorials, armed forces communities and partner organisations, with performances from military bands, choirs and other groups.

The milestone comes as the arboretum remains at the centre of a debate over proposals to change its name.

Friday's events are set to include a performance involving more than 600 children from local schools, performing music, poetry, dance and theatre following an eight-week creative programme.

The arboretum said the anniversary weekend - which continues until Sunday - would reflect on "stories, milestones and moments" from the last quarter-century while also looking ahead to the future.

Managing director Phillipa Rawlinson said: "[On Friday] we're celebrating with more than 600 schoolchildren from 25 classes performing music, poetry and dance, and then tomorrow and Sunday we're hosting a wide range of activities for the public to enjoy.

"What makes [the arboretum] so important is that it brings the moments into everyday life - it's not just about a specific date in the calendar, it's a living, evolving, remembrance landscape. We're freely available and here all year round."

BBC Radio WM presenter Ed James is due to broadcast live from the event on Friday morning.

The arboretum, near Lichfield, has grown from former farmland into one of the UK's best-known sites of remembrance, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The site has been home to a range of memorials dedicated to members of the armed forces across the world wars, as well as emergency services and civilian organisations.

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