Tourism award and tourism week celebrated as West Midlands MPs group given tour of National Memorial Arboretum
A group of MPs were given a guided tour of the nation's place of remembrance as part of its celebrations at winning a major tourism award.
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The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire welcomed four West Midlands MPs on Friday for a tour of the 150-acre estate and discussions about the important role it plays in the regional visitor economy.
The visit was organised in partnership with Dave Robertson MP, member of parliament for Lichfield; the constituency where the National Memorial Arboretum is located, and was part of English Tourism Week, which ran between March 14 and 23.
The other parliamentarians in attendance were David Williams MP (Stoke-on-Trent North), Josh Newbury MP (Cannock Chase) and Rachel Taylor MP (North Warwickshire and Bedworth).
The group were given a tour of the award-winning Remembrance Centre, learning about the Arboretum’s seasonal exhibition programme, visitor amenities, and the dedicated learning centre, which hosts around 20,000 young people on educational visits each year.
A subsequent electric buggy tour around the site incorporated memorials which have a personal, familial or constituency connection to the MPs, such as the Miners Memorial; Josh Newbury MP and Rachel Taylor MP are both descendants of miners and have coalfield communities in their constituencies.
The tour also included a visit to the Armed Forces Memorial, the Bastion and Basra walls remembering recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and memorials to public sector workers such as the Ambulance Service and Police.
Welcoming more than 300,000 visitors each year, the free-to-enter Arboretum is the Nation’s year-round place to remember, home to more than 420 memorials which commemorate the service and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces, Emergency Services, and civilian organisations.
Philippa Rawlinson, Director of the National Memorial Arboretum, said: “Hundreds of thousands of people visit the National Memorial Arboretum every year, reflecting and remembering in our gardens and woodlands, and forging new memories together through our diverse programme of activities.
“It was a pleasure to host Dave Robertson MP and his parliamentary colleagues and share how we are passing the baton of Remembrance to future generations, including our plans to celebrate and commemorate the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day through ‘The Year was 1945…’.
"We also discussed the importance of the Arboretum as part of the wider regional visitor economy, and our support for many other local businesses through our commitment to local sourcing.”
The previous evening, the Arboretum was named ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’ at the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards and will now be considered for the same category at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. Additionally, the site received silver in the ‘Accessible & Inclusive Tourism’ category.
Dave Robertson said: "It’s been fantastic to showcase the National Memorial Arboretum to some of my colleagues across the house.
“People across Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages know what a wonderful venue the Arboretum is, but being able to spread that message is something I am proud to do as the MP for this wonderful space.
“I’m so happy for the whole team at the Arboretum for their success at the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards.
"It’s further proof of the brilliant job they do in making sure that Remembrance isn’t just for November.”
Mark Ellis, National Memorial Arboretum lead, said: “It is testament to unwavering determination of the entire team at the National Memorial Arboretum to deliver a world-class visitor experience that we have once again been recognised at the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards.
“Winning Large Visitor Attraction of the Year is a tremendous honour and we look forward to representing Staffordshire at the national awards. Inclusion and accessibility is a core part of our visitor offer, central to our mission to remain freely open to all, and it was great to have our ongoing efforts recognised with a silver award.
“From improved visitor maps and upgraded pathways, to the invaluable support of our Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Group, we are continually identifying new ways to enhance the experience for every visitor.
"Just last week we helped launch a new, seven-day shuttle bus service from Tamworth Station to the Arboretum, offering people who either don’t own a vehicle or prefer more sustainable transport options to find it much easier to visit us.”
To plan a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum and to learn more about ‘The year was 1945…’, go to the National Memorial Arboretum website.
