Building a legacy - The Winston Churchill Centre for Education and Learning
D-day will soon pass from living memory, making it more important than ever to create opportunities for our younger generations to understand and remember the sacrifices made that day.
Working with the Normandy Memorial Trust, BAE Systems is principle sponsor in the construction of a new visitor centre, ‘The Winston Churchill Centre for Education and Learning’ at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-mer, France.
The centre will open on June 6 as part of commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings.
Cressida Hogg, Chair of BAE Systems, said: “As a company with a strong heritage in protecting our armed forces, I’m incredibly proud that we can play our part in honouring the courage and sacrifice of those men and women who gave so much to protect our freedoms.”
General Lord Richard
Dannatt, Chairman of Trustees, Normandy Memorial Trust, said: “The purpose of this education centre is to ensure that new generations never forget what Britain did for Europe in 1944 and to remember the sacrifice of so many. We are delighted that the Centre’s principal sponsor is Britain’s premier defence company BAE Systems. Like us, they recognise the importance of understanding the past and learning its lessons.”
In addition to the Company’s £600,000 donation to help build the Centre, its employees have volunteered their time to support preparations for the anniversary. In April, a BAE Systems team helped install 1,475 silhouettes in the meadows around the Memorial, one for every soldier, sailor and airman killed while serving under British command on D-day. This unique art installation, the work of charity Standing with Giants, will remain in place until the end of August.