From 2014 until 2018 the Group organised many events and services and researched, in particular, those local soldiers who lost their lives for their country.

174,000 service personnel from the UK and Ireland gave their lives in Flanders during the Great War, this includes 7 from Youlgreave and district. Appropriate services of remembrance were held to honour each brave man lost.

During this time of reflection the Group considered how best to commemorate the cessation of hostilities and the subsequent Armistice. Their ideas grew into a project to present a sculpture to Ypres Cathedral and community in Belgium on 19th August 2018.

The resulting sculpture is of oak, stone and stained glass, 2m x 1m x 1m, designed and built by village volunteers with help, and donations of materials from many interested local craftsmen. Some volunteers already had skills, but many trained just for this project.

The finished sculpture stood in the church in Youlgrave in August 2018, before it travelled to Belgium

A competition was held in summer 2017, through the villages or Youlgrave, Alport, Middleton, Stanton, and Birchover, with leaflets to every house inviting anyone to submit ideas in any way they wanted, so the design could truly be from the people.

Competion entry leaflet

Many of the ideas submitted are incorporated, particularly from the children, such as the three crosses, the faceless soldier and the river running through. There is even a full representation of a child’s drawing in the panels.