- Tamworth Borough Council awards £10k towards bronze memorial in Castle Grounds
- Staffordshire 3 honours three local servicemen killed in Iraq
- Memorial is hoped to be unveiled next year in July 2025
Tamworth Borough Council has awarded £10,000 towards the overall costs of a lasting bronze memorial dedicated to The Staffordshire 3, to be situated within Tamworth Castle Grounds.
The grant will help complete the first stage of the group fundraising. The council declared an intention to support this through a one-off policy change in the 2024/25 annual revenue budget at the full council meeting on 27 February 2024.
The grant award further demonstrates the council’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant and supports the intention of the group to unveil the memorial next year in the Castle Grounds.
A fundraising drive towards a permanent memorial to three servicemen killed in Iraq, has been set up by one of their comrades.
Pte Phillip Hewett, 21, Pte Leon Spicer, 26, both from Tamworth, and 2nd Lt Richard Shearer, 26, from Nuneaton, were killed in Al Amarah in July 2005 when a roadside bomb exploded near their Land Rover.
Anthony Frith, also from Tamworth, who has been leading efforts for the monument, served alongside the men in the Staffordshire Regiment and was on patrol with them when they were killed.
Mr Frith is chairman of the ‘The Staffordshire 3’ fundraising group, which aims to have the memorial ready in time for the 20th anniversary of their deaths in July 2025.
The fundraising group have set a £38,000 target for the memorial which will be placed on the Mercian Foundation Bench at Castle Grounds.
The small monument design includes three knots for the Staffordshire Regiment and three bayonets and will also have its own QR code to direct people to an interactive website, where people can learn about the three soldiers.
Councillor Carol Dean, Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “We are proud to support such a significant memorial and honour our brave soldiers.
“The Mercian Foundation Bench is a beautiful structure, and this monument will give friends, family, former colleagues and the community, somewhere to sit, honour, reflect and remember.
“Tamworth has strong links with the armed forces, and we are proud to support our forces community through the Armed Forces Covenant since 2012, supporting both Reservists and recognising the commitment of people that have and remain serving the nation.”
Notes:
People are invited to join the group fundraising Facebook page: (7) Facebook
The Armed Forces Covenant ensures that armed forces personnel have improved access to local authority services such as housing, for example the need for a local connection is removed in the case of housing armed forces personnel.
Tamworth Borough Council is currently recognised as a silver award level employer in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme meaning they have a signed covenant and promote being armed forces friendly in policy and practice.