RSA Insurance has unveiled an installation of war memorials commemorating former colleagues who served and gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
Originally displayed at various RSA office buildings across the UK before finding a permanent home in the Arboretum, the memorials were placed in secure storage in 2014 when the Remembrance Centre was constructed. A colleague-led campaign was later initiated to have the memorials restored and put back on display. The project, initially highlighted by RSA alum Graham Briscoe, was led by RSA’s UK head of monitoring and assurance Tracey Fisher MBE.
The unveiling and rededication of the refurbished memorials at the Arboretum was attended by colleagues who played key roles in the creation of the site, including Fisher and RSA risk consulting team leader Ross Shorto whose great-great uncle, Leonard Shorto, worked for London & Lancashire Insurance Company and is commemorated on the memorial.
Also present were RSA CEO Ken Norgrove, the Royal British Legion, representatives from armed forces charities, veteran organisations, and the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations.
Norgrove expressed his deep respect and appreciation for the contribution made by former RSA colleagues across the two world wars.
“With this service, we’re recognising those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and the rededication of the memorials in their new location, and I’m grateful to the National Memorial Arboretum, RSA pensioner Graham Briscoe, and especially Tracey Fisher MBE for their hard work in helping to create this important and moving place for anyone to visit,” he said.
We're proud to have opened the RSA Memorial during a ceremony yesterday at @Nat_Mem_Arb, to honour the service & sacrifice of RSA employees in military conflict. 🌺
— RSA Insurance Group (@rsagroup) April 21, 2023
It features 27 restored heritage carvings commemorating nearly 1000 lives. Find out more: https://t.co/erMk6rAy5B pic.twitter.com/X0MdjmNyr8
In addition to relocating the memorials within the Arboretum, RSA developed an online database of information on the memorials and the names contained therein. Fisher, who is also RSA’s archive and historic records director, led a team of 10 volunteers to populate a database featuring the over 915 former RSA colleagues featured on the memorials, creating a permanent memorial to honour them.
“As someone who has always had a deep respect for those who have served and gave their lives for their country, I’m honoured to have led the restoration of these important war memorials,” Fisher said. “It was a privilege to work with such a dedicated team of volunteers to ensure that we are preserving these memorials and documenting an important chapter of RSA’s 300-year history.
“These memorials commemorate the lives of normal people, who worked within the insurance industry but saw their lives catastrophically changed by the impact of war. Their sacrifices must never be forgotten and now by having the memorials back on display, they will be commemorated within this unique place of remembrance.”
The unveiling of the RSA War Memorial makes the insurer the first professional financial services organisation in the UK to have their war memorials for former colleagues displayed on-site at the Arboretum. It also demonstrates RSA’s ongoing commitment to support the Armed Forces community.
Earlier this year, RSA became a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a government-backed scheme advocating for the needs of those within the Armed Forces community. The signing also marked the launch of the RSA Armed Forces Employee Resource Group, an open group for all those affiliated with the Armed Forces and for those interested in the impacts and challenges that the community faces.
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