NORMANDY 80
Standing with Giants have installed a staggering 1,475 silhouettes across the wild meadow fields of the British Normandy Memorial called ‘For Your Tomorrow’. The 1,475 giants reflect the number of servicemen who died serving under British command on D-Day itself. The public will be able to see this installation at The British Normandy Memorial , 13 Av. Paul Poret, 14114 Ver-sur-Mer, France as part of the D-Day 80 commemorations from 21st April 2024 - 31st August 2024.
Normandy Memorial
The British Normandy Memorial records the names of the 22,442 servicemen and women under British command who fell on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944. This includes people from more than 30 different countries. Inscribed in stone, their names have never, until now, been brought together. The site also includes a French Memorial, dedicated to the memory of French civilians who died during this time.
Getting involved
We invited groups/organisations of 8-15 people to visit our new production workshop in Oxfordshire and become part of this incredible story by helping us in creating ‘The People's Tribute'. Please click the link below for more information.
Travelling to Normandy
We left for Normandy on Friday 5th April 2024 from Blenheim Palace in a convoy of four lorries carrying x18 stillages housing the entire installation and equipment required to make it happen with poppies displayed at the base of stillage crates, crocheted and knitted by WI (National Federation of Women's Institutes).. The convoy also stopped at Fort Nelson in Portsmouth before heading off to the ferry.
Volunteer groups
The Normandy 80 installation has been painted and assembled by 80 teams and groups invited from all walks of life, including military personnel, veterans, Harley Davidson remembrance riders, women’s institute members, NHS workers, school children, scouts, office teams, business supporters, choirs and music groups, to name just few.
POPPIES OF HOPE
Standing with Giants has enlisted the help of The WI (National Federation of Women's Institutes). A long term friend of Standing with Giants and Secretary of Apple Blossoms WI, Kingston Bagpuize, Toni Briggs, took on the task to encourage her fellow WI colleagues to start knitting and crocheting poppies so Standing with Giants could attach them to the base plinths of our packing stillages/crates that will transport our soldier silhouettes to Normandy and beyond for future installations. WI colleagues up and down the country have been knitting and crocheting the poppies needed and sending to Toni who is counting and recording each one received.
A massive thank you to all WI members who are getting involved with this aspect of the project. The base plinths look incredible:
If you have poppies to send please contact Toni Briggs for details.
Our ethos at Standing with Giants is to value life, to understand and appreciate why we have our freedom, and to remember and pay tribute to those who have fallen so we can live the lives we have today. Our installations are a great way of using art to do this. We call our silhouettes Giants due to the enormity of their sacrifice, so that others can have their freedom. Although Dan and his team started with a zero budget, they have enlisted many volunteers and companies who have donated materials and logistics towards the thirty-ton installation. They invited many different groups and organisations to help complete The People’s Tribute called ‘For Your Tomorrow’ by April 2024. The installation took 20-30 people around 15 days to set up: it’s truly epic. Dan Barton, Founder and Chair of Trustees has set this whole project up so others can get involved: he and volunteers have been making the components for the figures over the past 4 years and during January 2024 - March 2024 we welcome 87 groups and organisations to help assemble and paint ‘The People’s Tribute’. “We’ve just set up a new workspace and I’m praying we find some funding from somewhere; it will really help take some of the pressure off with our endeavour”.
Eight of the 1,475 silhouettes due to be transported to Normandy were exhibited on 9 November outside the Royal Albert Hall at the launch of the anniversary concert due to be held on 6th June 2024