New hard standing for the memorial at the six houses built in the 1950’s to house disabled ex-servicemen and their families in Victoria Drive, Eastbourne.
During a Branch meeting of the Eastbourne Royal British Legion our fellow member Derek Mead asked if anyone knew of a company that could undertake work to improve wheelchair access and install a hard standing around the memorial stone.
This was an easy request to answer, and a team of volunteers were assembled from Eastbourne and District Veterans CIC and work commenced on 16 May 2024 under the supervision of Graham Cosham.
With inclement weather on day one the team set about the task of preparing the ground, this would be a muddy, wet and cold day but the team cracked on and good progress was made. With a deadline for completion by 23 May 2024 the team made good progress and completed on time.
The first service at the war memorial stone took place on 6 June 2024 to Commemorate the 80th anniversary of D Day, with over 70 attendees and a Spitfire flying overhead, what a wonderful occasion for all to see the completed work and to have a place to return to for many years to come and remember.
It is now the intention of the Eastbourne War Memorial Housing Society to offer this area to the various local Eastbourne veteran’s associations for their use to hold their various services of commemoration and it is also hoped that this update will raise the Eastbourne Memorial Houses profile within the area.
Well done to everyone that made this project a huge success and for being part of the way forward with Eastbourne and District Veterans CIC, Bringing Veterans Together.
The facts:
Day one the team removed 12 cubic metres of topsoil – in the rain!
Over three further days the team laid a geotextile membrane, fixed timber shuttering, spread a total of 16 tons of stone that included 10 tonnes of type 2 MOT and 6 tonnes of granno top stone by wheelbarrow. This was then raked, levelled and compacted.
The average combined age of the operatives was 478.
Heartfelt thanks have been received from the Chairman of the Memorial Houses committee Derek Mead and all the residents.
Allan Leith, Chairman
