Design selected for LGBT+ armed forces community memorial
A new memorial for the LGBT+ armed forces community will be constructed in the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
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Memorial to be constructed in National Memorial Arboretum to honour LGBT+ veterans and serving personnel
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Artist collective Abraxas Academy’s metal structure, a crumpled letter with words from impacted LGBT+ veterans, to be unveiled later in the year
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Builds on government’s response to Lord Etherton Review, including Financial Recognition Scheme announced in December
A new memorial for the LGBT+ armed forces community will be constructed in the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The design and construction, overseen by LGBT military charity Fighting with Pride, is being funded by a £350,000 grant from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the Ministry of Defence.
Abraxas Academy’s design – entitled “Crumpled Letter” – was selected by a judging panel on Friday 10 January at an event onboard HMS Wellington, moored on the River Thames in London. The event was attended by LGBT+ veterans and serving personnel, service charities and the shortlisted artists.
The Abraxas Academy is a group of individual artists working together as a collective. Artists Charlotte Howarth, Nina Bilbey, Sue Aperghis, James Spedding and Kate Homes are behind the LGBT+ armed forces community memorial design. Their winning idea is a crumpled, free-standing letter made from forged bronze. The letter is a combination of words taken from evidence that was collected from former personnel who were impacted by the LGBT ban. The letter symbolises swearing the oath of allegiance, evidence of mistreatment of LGBT personnel that was discarded and the comfort of letters from home while away on operation.
Nina Bilbey, lead artist at Abraxas Academy said:
This is extremely personal for some of our members, some of whom have been affected by the armed forces exclusion of LGBTQ+ identities, and some simply affected by lived queer experience. All our members make a living in the arts by designing and delivering beautiful sculpture, making and inspired by the act of collaboration.
We hope this memorial will help ease some of the distrust and pain suffered by individuals, past and present, and be of inspiration to future generations who will witness this work and be reminded of the healing power of reconciliation and the public acknowledgement of historic discrimination.
The memorial represents three of the 49 recommendations made in Lord Etherton’s independent review into the service and experience of LGBT+ veterans who served prior to 2000.
Fighting With Pride consulted the LGBT+ veterans, serving personnel and their families to make sure the winning design would reflect their needs.
Ed Hall, Chair of Fighting With Pride, said:
The trustees are delighted that we have such a strong winner for the LGBT+ armed forces community memorial. It’s been incredibly important to all of us at Fighting With Pride that we held a rigorous creative process to find the right design that will provide a place of peace and reflection for the LGBT+ armed forces family. I’d like to thank everyone who submitted designs, and the LGBT+ serving and veterans’ community who have helped shape the selection.
It’s a mark of how far we’ve come as a society that the competition for this prestigious commission has been so fiercely contested by some amazing creative minds. We received 38 exceptionally high standard designs for the panel of judges to choose from and we now have an outstanding design as the worthy winner.
Last month, the Ministry of Defence opened applications to the Financial Recognition Scheme. This will enable those impacted by the ban while serving between 27 July 1967 and 11 January 2000 to apply for recognition payments. The government also announced the rollout of the two final restorative measures - qualification of administrative discharge and restoration of rank.
Minister for Veterans and People Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP said:
When I joined the Royal Marines in 1999, this abhorrent ban on homosexuality in the armed forces was still in place. A quarter of a century later, we turn a page on that shameful chapter in our national story.
This government is committed to renewing the contract with those who serve and have served, and we will continue to drive this forward until every recommendation of Lord Etherton’s review is completed.
I thank the LGBT+ community and the charities that supported it, particularly Fighting With Pride, for their courage and continued efforts to bring this to a resolution, and urge everyone affected to visit the LGBT veterans page for support.
Those affected by the ban are still encouraged to register for restorative measures at LGBT veterans: support and next steps.
Veteran Dame Kelly Holmes (MBE mil) OLY said:
Veterans are courageously rebuilding their lives after enduring trauma, the loss of their careers and livelihoods. While the injustices of the past remain unchangeable, I am pleased to see the government’s commitment to support LGBT+ veterans going forward.
The memorial’s design is a powerful way of showing how damaging, words are, but how healing words can be. Twenty-five years ago, LGBT+ veterans were met with condemnation; today, they are embraced with honour and respect.
I see this memorial as a celebration of our community, a space for veterans to reflect on our journey, and a testament to the progress we’ve achieved together. Let’s remember that every step forward is a victory for dignity, inclusion, and unity.
Under this government, further support has been secured for UK armed forces veterans. This includes £3.7 million of funding for social housing, a local connection exemption for veterans seeking social housing, the upcoming rollout of digital HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards and Birmingham’s successful bid to host the Invictus Games in 2027.
Notes to editors
- Images of the artist and their winning design are available on request - please contact ova-comms-engagement@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
- For more information on the government’s restorative measures for those impacted by the pre-2000 ban on LGBT personnel in the UK armed forces, including the Financial Recognition Scheme, visit: LGBT veterans: support and next steps