Cadets launch appeal to fund deep clean of Shoreham War Memorial

RAF Air Cadets at 1440 (Shoreham-By-Sea) Squadron are leading the project, as they say the war memorial is badly in need of a clean.

They will join forces with the No.13 (Shoreham) Detachment of the Sussex Army Cadet Force to clean the memorial, with the help of the Military Grave Restorer.

The aim is to carry out the deep clean in March and an appeal to raise the £1,300 needed is already about halfway to target.

Volunteer Marc Lee said: "We are raising money to arrange for a deep clean of the War Memorial outside St Mary’s Church and we are about halfway to our target to pay for professional assistance.

"This will still require a lot of cadet volunteer time to assist with the clean. However, we need to raise the funds required to purchase the cleaning equipment and materials.

"This is a very community-based project. The war memorial is badly in need of a clean. Cadets from the Shoreham Air Cadets and Sussex Army Cadet Force will be cleaning the memorial in March 2025, with the approval of the church and Adur District Council."

The cadets have been advised that specialist chemicals are needed as the memorial in East Street, outside St Mary de Haura Church, is sand and jet washing would cause damage. Visit gofund.me/23f38b92 to make a donation.

Marc added: "It’s already been damaged by a jet wash, apparently. Once cleaned, it should be for a long time."

The cadets have been given permission by the church, which owns the memorial.

Restoration work was carried out in June 2014, in preparation for First World War centenary commemorations. Adur District Council arranged for work to be done on the names.

The small section of land on which the town memorial stands was part of St Mary’s Churchyard and it was made available by the vicar, churchwardens and parochial church council in 1923 for the building of the war memorial.

The names of the fallen from the First World War were first recorded on the church war memorial - a brass tablet in the Memorial Chapel inside the church.

The names are listed as surnames, plus the first name and any other initials, with the rank included in most cases. The town memorial outside repeats the names, with an additional four added.

The squadron will be cleaning up the memorial in March. Cadets have also been busy supporting and collecting for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Cadets visited three local cemeteries to plant wooden crosses on the war graves.