A short service of dedication for a WW1 commemorative bench in Seend was led by the Revd Joshva on 12th January, with representatives from Seend Parish Council, Seend Royal British Legion and members of the parish.
The bench has been placed by the war memorial in Seend churchyard. The special bench (designed and manufactured by David Ogilvie Engineering) was bought by Seend Parish Council to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ending of the First Word War and the 25 soliders from Seend Parish who died during the conflict.
A grant of £400 was given by the Melksham Area Board to help purchase the bench, and donations from the Seend branch of the Royal British Legion and Seend WI helped the parish council pay for the remainder of the cost.
Clerk for Seend Parish Council, Sue Bond said, “Seend Parish Council wanted to find a way of commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ending of the First World War, and had hoped to join Wiltshire Council’s tree planting project, to plant a tree for every soldier in the county of Wiltshire who died in WW1. For Seend, that meant 25 trees. But unfortunately, the parish council was unable to find a suitable location for 25 trees to be planted in one place.
“The parish council felt that the purchase of the very striking painted steel bench depicting soldiers and red poppies was a very fitting way for Seend Parish to remember with gratitude the 25 men who gave their lives for us.”
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