Hundreds of community projects supported through Round 1 of the Armistice and Armed Forces Communites Programme; and Round 2 opens soon

August 29, 2018

The Armistice and Armed Forces Communities programme enables community groups, schools and places of worship to receive awards to fund evocative silhouettes for their community. These can be used to support local events designed to bring the community together, to remember the Armistice, and also think about Armed Forces today.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has funded just under 11,000 silhouettes to nearly 1500 different community organisations under Round 1. Round 2 will open on 3rd September 2018. The programme will close on 1st October 2018, and this will be the final round.

Glasgow the Caring City Charity are receiving 10 silhouettes to use on the eve of Armistice, and to support the City of Glasgow Festival of Remembrance. The project will be the culmination of eight other events, some large some small, involving up to 2,000 attending in total, the final one being The City of Glasgow Festival of Remembrance. A range of military, emergency service and community organisations will be involved.

“Cathcart Old lost 123 souls in the Wars, 68 in WW1. We already have the names of the fallen on the back of 68 seats for this year, but the figures would add a haunting beauty to an already wonderful community setting”

Some projects are on a smaller scale but equally moving. Zelah is a small rural community in Cornwall, who are receiving 3 silhouettes. The people in the village are isolated from the church by fields and a major road; and have limited access to their War Memorial. They don’t have a community building, but they do have a bench and an orchard.

Their event will start at midnight on Sunday 11th November with the beginning of a Silent Watch. Their Tommy will sit on the bench in the community orchard. From midnight to midnight a local resident will sit beside him with a lighted candle between them. They will hold a community event at midday, involving different local groups. The two additional silhouettes will sit in the Church at St Allen.

A wide range of organisations can apply for an award under the programme including schools, village halls, places of worship, libraries and other community buildings. If you receive an award; you will have to commit to holding an event for your local community around the time of the Armistice.
For more information on the programme, visit our programme pages.