The UK government is inviting people to make their mark on a remembrance path commemorating the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
Individually designed ‘memory squares’, honouring the stories and sacrifices of the Somme in 1916, can be uploaded by the public to a newly-launched online gallery.
Five thousand designs will be printed onto ceramic tiles, forming ‘The Path of the Remembered’ to be laid at Heaton Park, Manchester, as part of the UK’s day of national commemorations in the city on July 1st 2016.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said: “From soldiers, nurses, munitions workers, and all those on the Home Front, this project is a poignant and fitting way of remembering all the brave men and women affected by the Battle of the Somme.
“By taking part we can help ensure these uniquely individual stories are never forgotten”.
Details of how to take part, including examples of memory squares, can be found on the somme100path website.
“The designs can be as artistic or as simple as people choose, and don’t necessarily have to have a personal connection,” says the Department for Culture, Media & Sport which leads Britain’s WW1 Centenary commemorative programme.
The website also contains information and help for researching someone to commemorate.
More about the Manchester programme of events on July 1st can be found on the Manchester City Council website. Heaton Park, used as a military training ground in WW1, will be the setting for a free evening concert.
Source & images: UK Government (DCMS)
Posted by: CN Editorial Team