Every year, during National Road Victim Month, RoadPeace members come together at the National Memorial Arboretum to remember all those killed on our roads.
Situated at the edge of the National Forest in Staffordshire, the National Memorial Arboretum serves as a place of remembrance and reflection, with over 400 memorials nestled amongst the idyllic landscape.
The RoadPeace Wood was dedicated in 2002, providing a permanent, national memorial to family members, friends and loved ones who have had their lives taken in a road crash, and is now the home of the annual Ceremony of Remembrance during National Road Victim Month.
The wood in its infancy
The Ceremony of Remembrance 2024 was opened by Lucy Harrison and Abbie Brooks, RoadPeace staff and bereaved siblings, remembering Lucy’s brother, Peter, and Abbie’s sister, Molly, and overseen by Rector Jeremy Allcock.
We heard powerful and moving addresses from several of our members. Gez McManus, remembering his daughter, Rebecca, and Victoria Drew-Batty, remembering her mother, Elizabeth, shared their experiences of traumatic bereavement. We also heard beautiful poem readings. Denice Bennell read ‘The Mountain’ by Laura Ding-Edwards, a poem with a lot of personal meaning to Denice, in memory of her son, Nick.
Bereaved sibling group members Sam Pointon, remembering Amy, and Roger Bates, remembering Anthony, read ‘A Road Crash Survivor’s Poem,’ written by a fellow siblings’ group member, Bruce Cadbury.
A key part of the service every year is the Act of Remembrance. The names of those being remembered are written on oak leaves, along with a short tribute, which are then read out by representatives of the emergency services. Thank you to the West Midlands Ambulance Service, the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Staffordshire and West Midlands Serious Collision Investigation Unit for taking part in this.
This year, Rachel Stone, a bereaved mum, made beautiful hand-crafted candles to be lit in memory of road crash victims. Representatives from various RoadPeace support groups and services lit the candles.
Travis Newton lit one on behalf of those under 18 – He is 16 himself but has recently raised over £800 for RoadPeace. Belina Rauli, Director of RoadPeace Support Services, lit a candle in memory of Pauline Fielding MBE, a true pillar of RoadPeace.
RoadPeace member Leanne Vaughan, remembering her daughter Lily-May, then read ‘A Moment of Silence’ by Rochelle Sobel. Rochelle lost her son in a bus crash in Turkey in 1995. The reading was followed by a minute’s silence in memory of all road crash victims.
Staffordshire’s Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner was also in attendance, and gave a short address on the importance of remembering those killed on our roads, and preventing further tragedy moving forward.
Throughout the service, touching and uplifting songs were sung by the Birmingham Male Voice Choir.
After closing remarks from Rector Jeremy Allcock, families shared cake and hot drinks and spoke with each other. There was also the opportunity to visit the RoadPeace Wood after the service, with National Memorial Arboretum staff operating a buggy service for attendees.
Although the circumstances that brought families to the National Memorial Arboretum are truly devastating, it was beautiful to see so many people coming together to remember and honour the lives of their loved ones, and offer mutual support.
Updated on: 27 August 2024