The Remembrance Centre developed by Edmond Shipway at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire has been nominated for what is considered as an Oscar in the Construction Industry. The development has a nomination for a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Award. This coveted awards scheme is used to celebrate the most innovative as well as inspirational regional initiatives for the year. The awards are set to showcase how the professionals in the built environment can develop, regenerate or conserve the environment in which they are based.
Edmond Shipway was given the position of project and costs manager for the Staffordshire Remembrance Centre, which will be opened officially by Prince William HRH Duke of Cambridge. The official opening ceremony will be attended by veterans, volunteers and schoolchildren. During the opening, the Duke will unveil a commemorative plaque as well as spending time meeting veterans from each of the Services. This Royal duty has been given to HRH Duke of Cambridge due to his capacity as patron of the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal. It was this Appeal that has funded the construction of the Centre.
The £10 million building was developed as part of a wider £15.7 million regeneration of the Arboretum. This reimagining carried out by Edmond Shipway now holds the beautifully landscaped Heroes Square as well as a large restaurant, retail spaces and a coffee shop. The National Memorial Arboretum will also have improved learning facilities, which means that the number of school visitors are predicted to increase from 15,000 to 25,000 each year. It is also predicted that the number of visitors to the Arboretum are expected to increase significantly from the 300,000 visitors that had been attracted before the work was carried out.
The winner of the RICS Award from the West Midlands will be announced on the 18th May. The announcement will be made at Warwickshire County Cricket Club. The successful projects will then progress for the national RICS Awards GRAND Final that will take place in November.
