Shropshire Star

£24k boost for war memorials in Telford & Wrekin

More than £24,000 has been invested in improving and restoring a number of war memorials in Telford.

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Telford & Wrekin parks boss Councillor John Minor

The Telford 50 Legacy Fund has contributed to the improvements, which will include creating a brand new war memorial in Lawley and Overdale.

Money from the fund has meant that the Jackfield Bridge and Donnington Parade were refurbished in October ahead of Armistice Day at the weekend.

Work included shot-blasting, painting and other restoration to ensure that the war memorials looked their best ahead of the 100th anniversary weekend.

A contribution of £18,000 has also been committed to Lawley and Overdale Parish Council’s new war memorial, which is being built on the land behind the Grazing Cow Pub.

Discussions are taking place with The British Ironworks Centre to fabricate the memorial, which will be unveiled by the parish council in the coming months. Funding will also go to St George’s Parish Council to replace the existing Priorslee Clock and create a new war memorial within the new design.

Councillor John Minor, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for leisure, green spaces and parks, said: “War memorials are such an important part of our borough.”

“I am delighted that the Telford 50 legacy fund has been able to both help fund a new memorial in our town and also ensure existing ones looking their best so our local communities can pay their respect to our servicemen and women who were affected by war and also their families.”

The council’s Pride in your Community programme, which was fine-tuned in the summer, has also spent £13,000 on resurfacing at the Memorial Gates in Donnington. The £2m Telford 50 Legacy Fund supports a mix of physical schemes as well as other projects that help tackle key social issues in the borough and reduce demand on council services.

Almost 1,400 people took part in a consultation in summer 2017 to find out what people wanted to see supported as a legacy of Telford 50.

The most popular themes included heritage and tourism, arts and culture and recreation.

People were also keen to see the funding allocated to support community events and projects.