Campaign to build a £1.5 million sculpture in tribute to Dame Vera Lynn wins the backing of senior MPs 

• Fans of Dame Vera Lynn are trying to raise £1.5m for a sculpture in Staffordshire
• Dame Vera, who died in 2020, had been dubbed the ‘Forces Sweetheart’ 
• Campaign has won the backing of a number of Conservative MPs  

A campaign to fund a sculpture to honour Dame Vera Lynn at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire is being backed by MPs.

Devotees of the late singer, who was dubbed the ‘Forces Sweetheart’, have been trying to raise £1.5million for a permanent memorial to her and other wartime entertainers following her death in 2020.

Now a number of Conservative MPs have expressed their support for the ‘fabulous’ initiative.

Sir Robert Buckland, chairman of the Northern Ireland affairs committee, said: ‘Very many of our greatest singers, musicians and entertainers joined our armed services or supported the war effort by visiting our troops and providing a huge morale boost to millions of our British and Allied fighting forces.

‘As a huge fan of the music and film of that era, I know how it helped to define a generation and it is certainly worthy of proper commemoration.’ 

Dame Vera Lynn, who sang for soldiers during the Second World War, died in 2020 

Dame Vera Lynn, seen here in Burma in 1943, may have a sculpture erected of her in Staffordshire

The circular sculpture, measuring 10ft in diameter, is being designed by Paul Day, who created the Battle of Britain Memorial

Natalie Elphicke, whose constituency’s ‘White Cliffs’ Dame Vera so unforgettably sang about, said: ‘She lived a life full of wonderful talent combined with duty and service to our country and her charities.

‘This sculpture will be an inspiration to girls and women for generations to come.’

The circular sculpture, measuring 10ft in diameter, is being designed by Paul Day, who created the Battle of Britain Memorial on London’s Victoria Embankment.

Some £500,000 has been given so far to the campaign, which is being organised by the Dame Vera Lynn Memorial Statue Fund.

Source: Read Full Article