Office of the Secretary of State for Wales
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UK Government announces Gift Aid boost to Flanders War Memorial appeal

All past and future donations made to the campaign will qualify for Gift Aid.

Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones has announced that all donations made to the Welsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign fund will qualify for Gift Aid. 

The public appeal has, so far, raised £40,000 towards the memorial which will serve to commemorate the people of Wales who served during the First World War in Belgium. Campaigners are appealing for a further £50,000 to help fund a bronze Welsh red dragon to adorn the top of the memorial.

The West Flanders provincial authority has agreed to create and maintain a Welsh garden of remembrance to surround the memorial.

Mr Jones has today confirmed that all donations made to the campaign fund since the charity was registered in March this year, plus any future donations, will be boosted by 25% through Gift Aid, at no extra cost to the donor.

Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones said:

The First World War had a profound effect on the course of history. It is only right that we ensure that we remember and commemorate the sacrifices made by the Welsh service personnel during that conflict.

I am therefore pleased to announce that all donations received from the date that the charity was set up, and all future contributions, will be eligible for Gift Aid. For every pound donated, an extra 25 pence can now be claimed by the charity. This will make a significant difference to the total already donated, and to the future success of the appeal which the UK Government is committed to supporting.

I would encourage all who have been moved by the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of Wales during the conflict to make a donation to this appeal, to ensure that their remarkable efforts are honoured and never forgotten.

The site of the new Welsh monument in Flanders is resonant with Welsh connections.

It will be situated just metres from the place where the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn died on the 31 July 1917 - the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele, and a day on which three of his Welsh comrades won Victoria Crosses.

Major Merfyn Thomas (rtd.), member of the North Wales Committee of the Welsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign said:

Having the Gift Aid status applied to our fund will result in a considerable increase in the revenue to this most worthwhile memorial to the men and women who served in Flanders in WW1, and will go a long way to help us achieve our goal of £90,000.

NOTES TO EDITORS

*Gift Aid is a way for charities to increase the value of monetary gifts from UK taxpayers by claiming back the basic rate tax paid by the donor on the donation. It can increase the value of donations by a quarter at no extra cost to the donor.

*Decisions on Gift Aid status are taken independently by the HMRC.

*If you’re a UK taxpayer, you can increase the value of your charity donations by choosing to donate through ‘Gift Aid’. For every pound donated, charities can claim an extra 25 pence.

*For further information, please contact the Wales Office Communications Team on 020 7270 0565


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