Financing The Memorial Project.
Stafford Borough Council originally envisaged the memorial being paid for out of their SMR budget. However, the West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society will have to try to obtain the necessary finance privately from various interested and enthusiastic organisations, trusts and societies, businesses and well wishers in the form of grants and donations.
Despite a whole host of publicity and fund raising efforts, the membership has only managed to raise about 40% of the estimated cost of approximately £7,000 to date. However, the funds thus far raised are now sufficient to enable Phase 1, the monument and bronze plaque to proceed, with the planned unveiling ceremony to occur on the afternoon of Sunday 22 March 2009 commencing at 2pm.
The Phase 2 task of the project will entail the design, purchase, transportation and erection of a permanent information panel. This will incorporate a map of the approximate dispersal of the opposing forces in relation to the monument's location, illustrations of the infantry (foot) and cavalry (horse) soldiers, narrative about the events leading up to the battle, an interpretation of the battle itself and the immediate aftermath in the local area, and a photograph looking away from the monument towards Heathyards Farm. The expected cost for Phase 2 is approximately £4,000, towards which Staffordshire County Council already made a contribution of £1,000, leaving a balance of £3,000 for the West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society to raise through further grants, donations and other fund-raising activities.
How You Can Assist This Project.
The Hopton Heath Battlefield Memorial Project could benefit from your assistance in several ways:-
1..The installation of the permanent monument and interpretation board are only one aspect of the project. There are many other expenses and support activities that need to be funded to enable the completion of Phase 2. On one level there are administration costs for this website, telephone calls, printing, paper, stamps, and at the other extreme there is the purchase of the interpretation board components and the 25 year lease. Consequently no donation is too large or too small!
2..You may be able to lend your experience and other skills to this project and the benefit that future visitors will derive from a visit to the Hopton Heath Battlefield site. Some of these we might already have, others we may have overlooked and yet others we may need to expand upon, so please contact Dave Cooper with your offer :-
Telephone: (0044) 01538 - 703354
Fax: (0044) 01538 - 702662
or write to: The Hopton Heath Battlefield Memorial Project
C/o Moorside House
Cauldon Lowe
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST10 3ET