Battle to restore memorial in time for D-day anniversary
FUNDS ARE IN PLACE TO CARRY OUT REPAIR WORK BUT PERMISSION IS YET TO BE GRANTED
TIME is running out to restore a Nottinghamshire war memorial in time for the 80th anniversary of D-day.
Attempts have been made for the past two years to get permission for repair work on the memorial in the grounds of St Nicholas’ Church in Tuxford.
The gold lettering displaying the names of men from the market town who died in the first and second world wars is beginning to fade – to the point where some are almost completely illegible.
Despite having lived in Tuxford for 50 years, 82-year-old Norman Birkett has avoided standing by its war memorial for the past two Armistice Days becasue of its poor condition.
Mr Birkett has instead travelled to nearby Retford, but says he would like to be able to stand by the Tuxford memorial again when the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings is marked on June 6.
He said: “The D-day anniversary is going to be a big thing this year and there are celebrations all over the country, but I won’t stand next to that memorial while it’s like that. It’s disgraceful.”
Mr Birkett has been campaigning to get the memorial cleaned and restored alongside Emma Griffin, Conservative councillor for the area on Bassetlaw District Council.
Councillor Griffin said: “Norman is Labour, but voted for me as a Conservative after I promised him I would get this memorial sorted. I thought this would be an easy win for me, but it’s giving me sleepless nights.”
Councillor Griffin says she and Mr Birkett have been pushing the parochial church council (PCC) at Tuxford to obtain permission for the memorial work, which they estimate will cost up to £1,500 and for which they have already secured funds.
The Church of England’s planning system involves ministers and churchwardens having to obtain a faculty from their controlling diocese before any work to a church building or its contents can be carried out.
This faculty, the term used to describe the permission to undertake work, is what Councillor Griffin says she has been pushing Tuxford’s PCC to apply for.
Having made no progress, despite faculties in the meantime having been obtained for work including new gates and heating, Councillor Griffin has now taken the unusual step of directly applying for permission to the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.
The diocese initially offered support, but correspondence with Councillor Griffin stopped in January despite her emails to the diocese.
When asked about the delay, Jonathan Pickett, from the chief executive’s office at the diocese, said: “I recently spoke to and advised Emma Griffin of the faculty process and how it works and offered my full support for the objectives to conserving this memorial.
“However, I have yet to receive an application for the work and, like all planning applications, this will take time to approve.”
Councillor Griffin said she initially did not have a reply back after asking for the application forms, but the diocese has since been in touch with her.
Mr Birkett remains hopeful that he will be able to mark the D-day anniversary properly, having himself joined the Army at the age of 16, serving in countries such as Libya and Cameroon with the Royal Engineers.
Tuxford’s war memorial, unveiled in 1921 and now listed, features the names of men who died in the First World War and the Second World War, with the latter group including a Canadian airman who died in Nottinghamshire after a crash.
Mr Birkett added: “There’s no respect at all for these men and they shouldn’t be forgotten.”
The PCC has also been contacted for comment.