The 41 Club Garden Dedication, 17th July 2011.

On Sunday 17th July at 11.00am the 41 Club Garden was dedicated at a special service conducted by Immediate Past President the Reverend Malcolm Lockey.

The garden, being one of the early memorials at The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, near Lichfield, was opened in 2003 but over the past year extensive improvements have been undertaken with the inclusion of the sundial generously donated by Tangent.

Members of the Round Table Family were invited to attend, along with members of National Council and Lichfield 41 Club, for this important ceremony, following which there was the opportunity to spend time enjoying the facilities and peace of the Arboretum, the UK’s year round centre of remembrance.

More on the dedication here...

The Tangent Sundial

This fine sundial, presented by Tangent, was installed in c. August 2010 when the whole Garden was refurbished and new logos added. There will be a Service of Remembrance at the Garden each year on Remembrance Sunday at 10.30am to which all members are invited.

2002-2003 President Paul Cammiss cuts the tape!

In March 2001, an appeal was launched by Lichfield 41 Club to build a 41 Club Garden to commemorate the huge contribution of the Round Table and Ex-Tablers' Clubs ("41 Club") to fundraising and community service over the last century.

The National Memorial Arboretum is a living tribute to the people of the twentieth century. The area is slowly developing to become a majestic world of trees and a living memorial, a place of peace, reflection and enjoyment of nature. It is being planted with species native to Britain such as oak, ash, maple and hazel as well as with exotic varieties from every continent. Its inspiration came from the late Group Captain Lord Cheshire who felt that something should be done to forever remember our debt to those who gave their lives to defend our freedom. But the National Memorial Arboretum is also there to remember the significant contribution of any individual or organisation during our time.

The Arboretum was officially opened in 2001 by the Duchess of Kent, and now hosts an impressive Visitor Centre, Restaurant and Chapel. The Millennium Commission, funded by the National Lottery, matches contributions to the gardens, pound for pound for future upkeep and maintenance and once laid out, no further outlay is needed. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visited the Arboretum in May, and Her Majesty the Queen in July, 2002.

Following the original appeal in March, a further letter was sent to all clubs in the Association, in August 2001.  As a result, nearly £5000 was raised, with contributions from over 200 clubs from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and as far afield as The Algarve, Mallorca and Dar es Salaam. In September 2001, a plot was reserved, and plans were made for an Auction of Promises to be held at the Arboretum in June to raise the final monies for plaques, benches and signs.

At the auction on June 17th, 22 items, all donated by 41 Clubbers and local businesses were put up for sale to the highest bidder. Before the meal, guests received a guided tour of the Arboretum, followed by a talk by the Administrator, Jackie Fisher, finishing with the Last Post and two minutes silence. National President Paul Cammiss was in attendance, as well as sundry National Councillors, 41 Club Chairmen, members and guests, and a jazz band who sang for their supper. One guest even arrived by helicopter! And Roger Nicholls did a hilarious job as after dinner speaker and warm-up act.

The bidding was fast and furious with auctioneer David Poxon taking bids off walls and generally pumping up the ante. The result was amazing and beyond any of our wildest expectations, with over £5000 raised from the auction and a further £1000 from raffle and wine sales. The highest bid was for a meal for 8, prepared in your home by celebrity chef Paul Gilmore, with all food and wine supplied by local outlets; it raised an amazing £800. The staff at the Arboretum had never seen anything like it and never really got to grips with the 85 gentlemen with no homes to go to, who still wanted to keep drinking at 11.30pm!

Subsequently a donation of £1500 was received from the National Association of Round Tables of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Association of Ex-Tablers' Clubs formally adopted the project. The first sod was cut in October 2002, ready for the official opening, as part of Birmingham National Conference on April 24th 2003, by National President Paul Cammiss. 70 guests attended the opening including Michael Pedersen, President of 41 Club International, Ken Donald RTBI President, and sundry 41 Club National Councillors.

The Garden is overlooked by 5 Wellingtonia (Giant Redwoods) and laid out around a central sandstone obelisk, into 4 quadrants, each with 9 assorted golden "evergreens" and encircled by an evergreen hedge, matching the 41 Club roundel.

Many 41 Clubs and individuals have donated to the original appeal; our thanks go to them for agreeing to share our dream. Particular thanks must go to National Presidents Gordon Macnab, John Bellwood and Paul Cammiss for their support from the outset. The staff at the Arboretum have been magnificent, and we would like to single out the Director, Commander David Childs and the Administrator Jackie Fisher, as well as the Charity GrowWell for their manpower. Finally thanks to all of the working group - all Past Chairmen of Lichfield 41 Club - for their vision and enthusiasm for this project: Terry Browne, Ian Dempster, Rob Horton, Andrew Stanton and David Whale.