Saturday, August 16, 2025
16th - 17th August 2025
10:30 am
Saturday 16th August
Lichfield Cathedral
2.00pm – Seats to be taken by 1.45 p.m.
A wreath-laying will take place during the service.
Bugler - Anthonio Socci.
COFEPOW Standard Bearer - David Brown (trustee and Treasurer) and other British Legion Standard Bearers
Tea/coffee and biscuits will be provided after the service.
Saturday Evening 16th August 7.00pm for 7.30pm -
Dinner at the National Memorial
Arboretum Aspects Conference Suite.
Our MC for the evening is COFEPOW patron Sir Henry Every Bt DL FCA.
Sir Henry is the 13th Baronet in line to his family’s title, and is a retired Chartered Accountant, having been a Partner with Deloittes in Birmingham. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Derbyshire since 2006 and served as High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 2009/10. Sir Henry was a founding Trustee of the National Memorial Arboretum and played a significant part in the formation of the site at Alrewas. He helped to raise funds for and project-manage the building and the commissioning of the FEPOW Museum.
Dinner: A 3-course dinner. Set menu attached. £26.00 per head.
After Dinner Speaker:
Louise Reynolds (nee Cordingly) will be giving an after-dinner talk. She has written 3 books -
‘The Changi Cross: A symbol of Hope in the Shadow of Death’.
‘Down to Bedrock: The Diary and Secret Notes of a Far-East Prisoner of War Chaplain 1942 – 1945.’ ‘Echoes of Captivity 2020: In 1945, Far- East Prisoners of War returned to their families. But their war was not over . . .’
The evening will finish between 10.00 – 10-30 p.m.
Sunday 17th August
10.30am - AGM.
12.00 noon - Comfort break
12.15pm Service at the Memorial Building/FEPOW Grove
A short service will be taken by the COFEPOW Padre, David Childs, with the re-laying of the previous day’s wreaths.
Fly-Past - A Fly-Past has been agreed by the Royal Air Force Memorial Flight. Following a phone call on Wednesday 18 June, the Dakota which has been allocated to our event, is still in 'dock' at Duxford, and has been all year! They are hoping it will be ready for August, but there is no guarantee – so, unfortunately, if it’s not ready in time, we will not get a fly-past at all.
1.30pm - Lunch
MC will be Brian Hume, former COFEPOW Trustee
2 course lunch: Set menu attached. £23 per head.
3.00pm - After-lunch speaker
We have Alexandra Metcalfe-Hume – a current trustee who has been associated with COFEPOW since it’s inception. She will tell the audience how COFEPOW was started and of the fund-raising she took part in to help raise funds for the FEPOW Building.
3.30pm - The draw for the raffle will take place.
4.30pm - the afternoon’s events will draw to a close.
I will need to know which of these events you will be able to attend, the names of those in your party and the numbers attending.
If you are interested in any of the events above and for both menus, please contact me, Chris Wills by email: events@cofepow.org.uk or by telephone: 0121 244 7263.
PLEASE NOTE CLOSING DATE FOR THE DINNER AND LUNCH WILL BE 10 JULY
