The UK’s Year-round Place to Remember

Client: National Memorial Arboretum

The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire opened in 2001 to provide a unique, year-round place of Remembrance in the UK. Part of the Royal British Legion, the Arboretum’s 150-acre garden and woodland site is home to over 400 memorials commemorating the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and civilian organisations. In 2021, plans were announced for a prospective woodland memorial for people who lost their life to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since 2007, TALA has continuously delivered a comprehensive communications programme for the Arboretum. This includes establishing external relations practices while becoming an integral and close-knit part of the site team, providing continuity between successive leaders. Through integrated storytelling campaigns, managing media at national Remembrance events attended by royalty and prime ministers, and securing profile-raising activities on everything from Countryfile, to Antiques Roadshow and CBeebies, TALA’s efforts have contributed to a 405% increase in visitor numbers. The Arboretum’s profile is now established: the site’s latest YouGov polling (2021) revealed 48% of the public regards the Arboretum as a significant place for Remembrance. In 2018, the multi-award-winning visitor site was named VisitEngland’s ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’ award – a key accolade for a destination organisation. The Arboretum was TALA’s first client and the relationship, built on shared values and earned trust, remains strong 18 years later. The partnership has inspired TALA to launch ON THE RECORD, the UK’s first national memorial to honour the sacrifice made by UK reporting teams in conflict zones.