What to look out for from the CWGF in 2024

Another year is upon us! That means another exciting twelve months ahead for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.

Commonwealth War Graves Foundation in 2024

Walking our War Graves: Normandy

2024 means it’s 80 years since Operation Overlord, D-Day and the storming of the Normandy beaches.

It’s one of the most important events in World War and global history. To mark this momentous occasion, we’re bringing back our Walking our War Graves: Normandy fundraising challenge!

Walking our War Graves challenges you to cover a 95km journey through Normandy, following in the footsteps of the Commonwealth forces 80 years ago – all to raise money for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.

Tackle the challenge any way you like from a leisurely stroll with your family and pets to a long-distance cycle ride or even dips in your local swimming pool. It’s up to you!

We’ve previously raised over £20,000 supporting our core mission of keeping the memories of the Commonwealth’s war dead alive so their sacrifice is never forgotten through Walking our War Graves.

Will you take up the challenge in 2024 and help us raise even more? 

More information about Walking our War Graves: Normandy will be available soon, so get your walking boots out of the cupboard and get them ready for a virtual challenge like no other.

Let’s all get out, enjoy some exercise, and raise money for an amazing cause this year.

Visit our Fundraising page to learn more.

Eyes On, Hands On

Our flagship volunteer programme Eyes On, Hands On continues into 2024 and we couldn’t be more excited about seeing all our brilliant volunteers around the country getting out and about to help care for war graves in their local area.

Now entering its fifth year, Eyes On, Hands On is a nationwide volunteering project helping to monitor and, if necessary, clean and maintain war graves throughout the UK.

With over 300,000 Commonwealth War Graves headstones in the UK, many tucked away in small churchyards or hard-to-reach areas, caring for them can be a big challenge.

Our EOHO volunteers aid Commonwealth War Graves’ maintenance teams in the UK to ensure all our war graves are kept in top condition.

Sometimes, all they need is a good clean with a brush and warm water; if more serious errors and issues are seen, then the CWGC will step in to rectify them, based on volunteer reports.

November 2023 was an especially impressive month for the EOHO project but we’re looking forward to more stellar work from Eyes On, Hands On volunteers in 2024.

We’ll share more updates from across the Eyes On, Hands On regions throughout the year so please stay tuned!

An Evening at Brookwood 2024

An Evening at Brookwood is our way of kicking off the summer with a mix of music, remembrance, and commemoration within the beautifully moving surroundings of Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Since its launch in 2022, the event has played host to some fabulous performers, including:

• Award-winning folk trio Harp and a Monkey
• Legendary folk musician and comedian Richard Digence
• Harpist Milo Harper
• Surrey Wing Air Cadets Band
• Gordon’s School Pipes and Drum
• Sandhurst Military Wives Choir

We are deep in the planning of An Evening at Brookwood 2024 which promises to deliver the same winning mixture of music and commemoration.

Christmas Carol Service

An Evening at Brookwood starts the summer; our Christmas Carol Service caps off our year with a uniquely moving event.

Held within the beautiful surrounds of the Guards’ Chapel, London, our Christmas Carol Service has been our festive highlight for the past two years.

We’ve invited our guests to join us for an evening that blends the sombre with the celebratory – and that includes the incredible VIPs we’ve had the fortune to host at Christmastime, including:

• Multi-million-selling singer and actor Barbara Dickson
• Famous children’s author and War Horse writer Michael Morpurgo
• TV host and raconteur Gyles Brandreth
• Leading physician Dr Hilary Jones MBE
• Supremely talented mezzo-soprano Emma Brown

Watch for more details on our Christmas Carol Service throughout the year.

Indeed, be sure to visit our Events page regularly for more updates.

The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Calendar Competition

Want to get your photos into the annual CWGF calendar and help raise money for the Foundation? Then you’ll need to enter our annual Calendar Competition.

Each year, we call on talented photographers and shutterbugs to get out and about to send us their snaps of CWGC sites around the world, based on a specific theme.

Last year’s theme was architecture and as you can imagine we had hundreds of entries showcasing the fabulous masonry, design flourishes, and buildings that Commonwealth War Graves maintains globally.

So if you’re an amateur photographer with a passion for history, this is your chance to get your images seen by our thousands of supporters. Keep heading back to the Foundation website regularly for more updates, including this year's Calendar Competition theme.

Members Day

Members Day is quickly becoming an annual tradition at the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation. 

It’s our way of giving a little something back to our brilliant members and supporters whose incredible generosity keeps us going.

So, what is Members Day? It’s where we invite members to join us at our Maidenhead head office so they can meet our team and Commonwealth War Graves Commission staff and get together with their fellow members.

In 2023, we treated attendees to talks shining a spotlight on the work of the Foundation and Commission, including a look at the CWGC archives, an operations roundup, and much more.

Of course, you can only get an invitation to Members Day by being a CWGF member! Head to the Membership page to learn all about what that entails and how you can sign up.

A big 2024 ahead of the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation

We’ve got lots in the pipeline that we can’t wait to share with you – but we need your support to keep going.

We believe keeping the memories of the Commonwealth’s war dead alive for generations to come and telling their stories is vitally important. Their trials, tribulations, and sacrifices must never be forgotten.

Just some of the ways you can support us in 2024 include:

• Making a donation
• Becoming a member
• Coming to an event

From everyone here at the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, thank you for your continued support. We can’t wait to share our 2024 with you.