ASTON ROWANT NATURE RESERVE 2019

Where it all began! The birth place of Standing with Giants

In 2019, Dan had an idea to place x100 soldier silhouettes and x75 poppy wreaths on a hill that over looked the M40 motorway - on ‘the cut’, the hill between junctions 5 and 6.

Having worked with the Nature Reserve on previous projects (Wicker Man), Dan had no problem in contacting the decision makers and securing the site.

What happened next took everyone by surprise! Thousands of visitors came to see and experience this ‘pop-up’ art piece, it was un-advertised, no sign posts, no promotion and yet approximately 10,000 visitors came over a two week period - bringing with them over £25,000 in donations for the Royal British Legion.

The outpouring of grief and emotion at the installation was palpable and it was at this point that Dan realised he had created something quite unique and something that he felt needed to be developed; a mobile memorial installation that could move around the country to provide a place for people to visit and grieve, reflect, and reset.

It was here that the Standing with Giants project was born.