News releases

War Memorials Trust news features reports and items of interest recorded on an as required basis rather than regularly as much of the Trust’s activity is of an ongoing nature which does not generate regular news stories. If you have any questions or enquiries about something you may have read then please contact us.

May 2023

3rd July 2023: News statement with details of theft, vandalism and anti-social behaviour cases in 2022-23. The Appendix provides details.

May 2022

9th May 2022: News statement with details of theft, vandalism and anti-social behaviour cases in 2021-22. The Appendix provides details.

October 2021

23rd October 2021: News statement on anti-social behaviour, theft, vandalism and graffiti cases associated with war memorials. The accompanying appendices cover cases of which the charity is aware in 2020-21 and the first half of 2021-22.

23rd October 2021: News statement with current statistics on the condition of war memorials in the UK

July 2020

7th July 2020: Details of theft, vandalism and graffiti cases of which the charity was aware in 2020-21 to date. Originally issued 15th June 2020, updated 7th July 2020

June 2020

15th June 2020: News statement regarding theft, vandalism and graffiti cases in 2019-20. The accompanying appendix provides details of all cases of which the charity was aware from April 2019 to March 2020 at 15th June 2020.

April 2020

27th April 2020: News statement regarding whether people should visit war memorials around VE day. War Memorials Trust believes people should #StayHomeSaveLives and delay their visits to a later date to avoid the risk of passing on COVID-19.

November 2019:

11th November 2019: News statement regarding Great Witchingham war memorial in Norfolk and the debate over potentially removing a name listed upon it (WM2799).

April 2019:

17th April 2019: News statement regarding theft, vandalism and graffiti cases in 2018-19. The accompanying appendix provides details of all cases of which the charity was aware from January 2018-March 2019.

November 2018:

9th November 2018: News statement related to Killamarsh war memorial and the misspelling of a name

3rd November 2018: News statement highlighting increase in theft and vandalism cases associated with war memorials in 2018. Accompanying appendix provides details of individual cases across the UK of which WMT is aware.

December 2017

12th December 2017: Public statement on Western Road war memorial trees in Sheffield (WMO249382 / WM10529)

November 2017

6th November: News release regarding the Cadets working with London Borough of Bromley, War Memorials Trust and the SmartWater Foundation to protect war memorials in Bromley with SmartWater as part of the In Memoriam 2014 initiative.

October 2017

24th October: News statement on the fall in the number of thefts and vandalism of war memorials in 2017 with an appendix providing details of individual cases.

24th October: News statement on the role of government funding and the funding for war memorials after the end of the centenary of World War I. Scroll down for 2013 and 2014 statements on the announcement of government funding programmes for the centenary of World War I.

August 2017

8th August 2017: Public statement on Western Road war memorial trees in Sheffield (WMO249382 / WM10529)

July 2017

20th July 2017: Public statement on addition of Kitty Trevelyan’s name to Meavy war memorial (WMO223639 / WM10658)

April 2017

19th April 2017: Public statement on Golders Green war memorial in Barnet, London and potential relocation (WMO112599 / WM2776)

November 2016

7th November 2016: News statement on theft and vandalism cases involving war memorials in 2016 with associated appendix detailing individual cases of which WMT is aware.

8th November 2016: Joint news release with Historic Environment Scotland regarding the latest Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grants offers. The scheme is administered by WMT on behalf of Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government

July 2016

15th July 2016: Public statement on proposals for relocation of the Bailiwick of Guernsey war memorial located on Smith Street in St Peter Port.

February 2016

29th February: Joint news release with Historic Environment Scotland regarding the latest Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grants offers. The scheme is administered by WMT on behalf of Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government

October 2015

23rd October: News statement on the fall in the number of thefts and vandalism of war memorials in 2015 and associated appendix with details of individual cases.

23rd October: Joint news release with Historic Environment Scotland regarding the latest Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grants offers. The scheme is administered by WMT on behalf of Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government

March 2015

9th March: News statement at the sad passing of Lord Molyneaux who was a former Vice Patron of War Memorials Trust

November 2014

7th November: News release by Scottish Government regarding the latest Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grants offers. The scheme is administered by WMT who contribute to the press release. A video of the First Minister's making the announcement is also available.

October 2014

28th October: News statement on the reduction in the number of thefts and vandalism of war memorials in 2014 and associated appendix with details of individual cases.

8th October 2014: News statement responding to the The Victorian Society Top Ten Most Endangered Victorian and Edwardian Buildings in England and Wales 2014 annoucement which includes Sheffield's Crimean war memorial

July 2014

1st July 2014: News statement responding to the announcement of additional one-off funding for war memorials by the government. The DCMS announcement of £3 million for war memorials can be seen at www.gov.uk/government/news/details-of-5-million-fund-to-repair-protect-and-conserve-first-world-war-memorials-revealed.

1st July 2014: News release on HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Patron, War Memorials Trust, marking the Welsh National Memorial in Cathays Park, Cardiff with SmartWater to highlight the In Memoriam 2014 campaign. The campaign seeks to reduce war memorial theft and promote the use of SmartWater technology which is available free to war memorial custodians across the UK. For further information visit www.warmemorials.org/im2014-press or www.inmemoriam2014.org.

April 2014

30th April 2014: News statement related to the Help to Work scheme and cleaning war memorials

3rd April 2014: News statement with full details of projects benefitting from Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grant offers for March 2014. These further details support the War Memorials Trust and Historic Scotland announcement of the latest awards.

February 2014

22nd February 2014: News statement on Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grant offers for January 2014. The formal announcement was made by the Scottish Government.

December 2013

19th December 2013: News statement on UK government announcement about additional funding for war memorials, cemeteries and burial sites associated with World War I

November 2013

11th November 2013: News statement on Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grant offers for November 2013. Further details to support the Scottish Government announcement.

10th November 2013: News statement on our Call to remember: the state of the nation's war memorials and how you can help. You can also read a copy of the recent Call to remember leaflet mailed by War Memorials Trust to people across the UK to encourage greater awareness of our war memorials and encouraging them to share information about their local war memorials on War Memorials Online.

9th November 2013: News statement on the announcement of the plan to list more war memorials in England.

October 2013

21st October 2013: News statement on the reduction in the number of thefts from war memorials but increase in cases of vandalism in 2013 and associated appendix with details of individual cases.

September 2013

24th September 2013: News statement on receipt of Heritage Lottery Fund Sharing Heritage grant of £9,900 to train Learning Volunteers to work with young people in Kent.

August 2013

14th August 2013: Public statement on proposals for the World War I memorial plaque located in the former Magistrates Court, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent.

June 2013

13th June 2013: News statement on receipt of Heritage Lottery Fund Catalyst Capacity Building grant of £8,600. HLF's full announcement available on their website.

11th June 2013: News release on The Duchess of Rothesay, Patron, War Memorials Trust, meeting with representatives of the Trust, Black Watch veterans and schoolchildren at the Black Watch War Memorial, Powrie Brae, Angus. Her Royal Highness highlighted the Trust’s work to reduce war memorial theft and promote the use of SmartWater technology by marking the Memorial with SmartWater.

May 2013

27th May 2013: News statement on the graffiti to two London war memorials

5th May 2013: News statement commenting on the works to the Cenotaph on Whitehall reported by the custodians English Heritage and featured in the Sunday Telegraph on 5th May

February 2013

21st February 2013: News statement commenting on the draft National Curriculum and the impact on how young people might engage with war memorials

January 2013

14th January 2013: News statement responding to the announcement of the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund in Scotland by First Minister Alex Salmond. Details of the announcement can be found on the Scottish Government website

9th January 2013: News release on the approval of plans to relocate the Manchester Cenotaph. An image is available on the War Memorials Online website

November 2012

9th November 2012: News release announcing War Memorials Online, a new website for the public to upload images of war memorials and log concerns for the conservation of these important community and historical sources for future generations

7th November 2012: News statement following the Minister for Crime Prevention, Jeremy Browne's visit to Erith, Kent to discuss war memorial theft with War Memorials Trust

October/November 2012

25th October: News statement on theft and vandalism of war memorials in 2012 and associated appendix detailing individual cases of theft in 2012

September 2012

10th September: Public Statement on proposals to relocate the Manchester Cenotaph and associated memorials from St Peters Square Manchester

August 2012

21st August: Statement on War Memorials Online, formerly known as 'We still remember'

July 2012

13th July: Statement related to the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill.

June 2012

25th June: Statement related to the unveiling of the RAF Bomber Command memorial and War Memorials Trust's role in relation to new war memorials. The Trust produces a helpsheet related to new war memorials but is unable to provide funding for them.

14th June: News release: HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Patron of War Memorials Trust, joined the charity and the SmartWater Foundation at the Royal Artillery memorial to mark it with SmartWater as part of the In Memoriam 2014 campaign on 14th July 2012. Visit our press coverage page for further information and coverage.

May 2012

Statement about War Memorials Trust involvement in developing a national database of war memorials, the We Still Remember project

April 2012

Statement about War Memorials Trust involvement in developing a national database of war memorials, the We still remember project

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