THE BATTLE of BRITAIN
MEMORIAL
SUPPORT US
ABOUT THE TRUST
The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust is the charity charged with caring for the National Memorial to the Few at Capel-le-Ferne in Kent. In early 2017 it became a CIO and it now also incorporates the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, the body only those who served in the Battle of Britain are entitled to join.
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The Trust works to preserve the memory of those Churchill named as the “Few” and who protected this country from invasion in the summer and early autumn of 1940.
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In March 2015, after a successful fund-raising campaign, the Trust unveiled The Wing, a state-of-the-art visitor and education centre which includes the impressive Scramble Experience. This exciting new addition to the features on offer at the Memorial was opened by Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
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The Wing, which includes the Geoffrey Page Centre, increasingly recognised as the venue for regular talks and events, is dedicated to the bravery and sacrifice of those who took part in the Battle of Britain. While The Wing is a fantastic addition to the facilities, it puts more pressure on our supporters, since the Trust now has to find around £240,000 a years to meet the running costs of the whole site. Please help if you can!
BECOME A FRIEND
Join our Friends organisation to make a personal contribution to the National Memorial to the Few in memory of the aircrew who took to the skies to defend these shores in the summer and early autumn of 1940. The Friends of the Few maintain the memory of those who fought in the Battle of Britain and the men and women who supported them.
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There are two membership categories, with different benefits, to reflect the fact that we have supporters all over the world, as well as locally. The membership rates and benefits are shown below. Just choose the one that suits you
Spitfire Membership
Spitfire Membership is offered for people who wish to support the Memorial but who are not local to the site. This level will be more suitable for people living outside the UK or for people who cannot visit regularly. You can still support the work that the Trust carries out and we will stay in touch with you periodically to tell you how your membership fee is being spent. Members will benefit from:
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annual1940 magazine subscription
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discounted admission to The Scramble Experience
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10% discount in the gift shop
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5% discount in Collectors' Corner
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the opportunity to attend events of interest, held periodically at the Memorial, at discounted prices. Those events include a series of regular talks held at The Wing. Spitfire members are entitled to half price access
Spitfire Membership costs just £30 per year (£25 if paid by Standing Order).
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Hurricane Membership
Hurricane Membership offers a little more for people who are close enough to visit the Memorial on a more regular basis. Members will benefit from:
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annual1940 magazine subscription
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Free admission to The Scramble Experience
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10% discount in the gift shop and Cockpit Cafe
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5% discount in Collectors' Corner
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complimentary access to events of interest, held periodically at the Memorial site, together with a discounted entry price for guests. (NB some events, such as Memorial Day, will not qualify for complimentary access. These events may be offered at a discount to members). Those events include a series of regular talks held at The Wing. Hurricane members are entitled to free access.
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Hurricane Membership costs just £50 per year (£45 if paid by Standing Order).
1940 Magazine
For both subscription levels, new members will receive a complete set of the 1940 magazine. 1940 contains many well-researched articles as well as news of the Memorial. It is a much sought-after publication which is only available by joining Friends of the Few.
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Existing Friends who normally pay by cheque or standing order can check their current status by calling Kerry Hume on 01732 870809 or emailing k.hume2014@btinternet.com
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Kerry can also sign up new members – or you can simply print and return the second page of this downloadable form – Application Form
Or buy online now! Just click the link
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LEGACIES & DONATIONS
Legacies
The airmen who took to the skies in 1940 left this country a legacy of freedom. The RAF, in preventing a Nazi invasion during the Battle of Britain, preserved a way of life and kept the shores of Britain clear so that it could be used as a launchpad for re-taking Europe in 1944.
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The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust works hard to preserve the memory of the Few, those who flew, fought and sometimes lost their lives in the defence of this country.
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Please consider leaving us a donation in your will, or perhaps sponsor a name on the Foxley-Norris Wall.
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The Trust has also set up a unique deal with Kent solicitors Martin Tolhurst, which is offering a reduced-rate Will writing service to Trust supporters for just £99 plus VAT. The offer is contained in a useful brochure which provides information about the importance of making a Will. Click here for a pdf copy.
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Please remember the Few’s legacy – and then consider yours.
Donations
You can help to support this valuable national resource by donating any sum, large or small.
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Donations can be made online by clicking the Donate button below, or you can send a cheque made payable to The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust CIO to:
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Group Captain P S E Tootal OBE DL RAF(Ret’d)
Hon Secretary
Battle of Britain Memorial Trust
PO Box 337
West Malling
Kent
ME6 9AA
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Tel: 01732 870809
Email: battleofbritain@btinternet.com
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The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust is a registered charity, Number 803258.
OUR WALL
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Here inscribed the names of friends we knew
Young men with whom we often flew,
Scrambled to angles high,
They knew that they or friends might die.
Many were very scarcely trained,
And many badly burnt or maimed.
Behind each name a story lies
Of bravery in summer skies;
Though many brave unwritten tales
Were simply told in vapour trails.
Many now lie in sacred graves
And many rest beneath the waves.
Outnumbered every day they flew,
Remembered here as just "The Few".
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William L B Walker
616 Squadron
SPONSOR A NAME ON THE WALL
How would you like a special bond with one of the men who flew to preserve the Freedom of this country in 1940?
We offer a unique opportunity for supporters to create that bond by sponsoring one of the names on the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall here at Capel-le-Ferne.
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The wall is named in tribute to the late Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, a Hurricane fighter pilot in 1940.
He was the first President of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and, together with Lady Foxley-Norris, provided the funds that allowed the wall to go ahead.
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The wall lists the names of all the aircrew known to have flown with a recognised squadron during the Battle of Britain, which took place between 10 July and 31 October 1940 – just under 3,000 men in total. You can sponsor one of those names for a donation of just £40 (or more – it’s for a good cause!).
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Sponsors receive a commemorative folder containing a certificate marking their donation and a copy of their chosen airman’s entry in Men of the Battle of Britain, the recognised guide to the men who took part in the RAF’s critical defence of these shores.
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The good news is that your donation will make a valuable contribution of the Trust’s funds. As a charity, the Trust receives no public funding and relies on the generosity of visitors and donors to help if raise the £240,000 a year needed to maintain and develop the Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne.
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So far more than 700 sponsors have ‘adopted’ names on the walls, with many sponsoring blocks of names for Allied aircrew such as the South Africans, Free French, Czechoslovaks and Polish airmen.
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Many relatives have also sponsored their loved ones, but there is still plenty of opportunity to select your personal favourite. In due course we plan to publish a list of donors on an electronic database.
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Please email trustsecretary@battleofbritainmemorial.org for more information or click the button below.