WHEN a memorial garden was vandalised, a group of veterans took action.

With the help of Cumbria County Council Participation officer, Anna Todd, the veterans met up with students from Netherhall School in Maryport.

The veterans talked and answered questions about exactly what the armed forces offered and what it was like to face combat and to lose friends.

The aim of the visit was to give student a chance to learn what Remembrance Day - and remembrance memorials of all kinds - meant to those who had been involved in wars and to the families who had lost a son, daughter, husband or wife in combat.

Mrs Todd said: "I believe the students would now have a better idea of how important remembering is and will show the respect deserved to any kind of war memorial.

"The students engaged, especially some of the older ones who came along."

She said the students agreed that Remembrance Day should and would continue in the future and discussed what forms it could take in years to come.

"The outcome was so positive that we are now looking at the possibility of making a short film about it. I will be applying for funding in the new year."

The visit was organised by Anna Todd, Participation Officer for Cumbria County Council and a Veteran, who said of the project “After a spate of vandalism in the memorial gardens, I thought it would be good to go back to basics and talk to young people about the importance of our town’s memorial garden and what it represents, in the hopes that they can spread the message amongst other young people. The students engaged really well and were really interested in some of the experiences that the veterans told them about. One of our older veterans, Joe Fleming, was posted out in Germany after the war to guard Rudolf Hess. His lived experiences are invaluable, and along with the other Veterans, really helped to teach the importance of looking after our spaces in town, that commemorate those that ultimately gave their lives in conflict.”

It is hoped that this project will be extended and students will have the opportunity to capture some of the Veterans experiences on film to produce a school resource for future use.