Chapel for ‘The Few’ Battle Of Britain fighter pilots saved by £2m grant
THE future of a chapel honouring “The Few” Battle Of Britain fighter pilots is secure, thanks to a £2million Heritage Lottery grant.
A £2million heritage lottery grant has secured the future of a chapel honouring 'The Few'
Last year budget cuts saw the Ministry of Defence withdraw its £50,000 annual funding for the St George’s RAF Chapel Of Remembrance at Biggin Hill, Kent.
The Grade II-listed building was built in 1951 with the support of Winston Churchill next to the Spitfire station used to defend Britain from Luftwaffe attacks in 1940.
Churchill, then prime minister, said the chapel would be a permanent memorial to the RAF crew, known as The Few, who died.
Their names are inscribed in the chapel.
Winston Churchill said the chapel would be a permanent memorial to the RAF crew, known as 'The Few'
It will provide a suitable memorial to the actions of The Few.
Now, part of the £2million Lottery grant will be used to renovate the building.
The rest will go towards funding an adjacent £5million Biggin Hill Memorial Museum.
Work will start this autumn and the museum will open next year in time for the RAF’s centenary.
The memorial for the Battle of Britain fighters will be renovated
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Stuart Hobley, who is head of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “It will provide a suitable memorial to the actions of The Few.”