A SERVICEMAN has spearheaded a campaign to get Horrabridge War Memorial spruced up in time for Remembrance Sunday.

Horrabridge resident Andrew ‘Tiny’ Collins, a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy and currently serving at 42 Commando Royal Marines, is fundraising to restore the village war memorial back to its former glory.

He hopes to raise £3,000 to be able to renovate the stonework and lettering as well as give it a proper clean.

‘This year marks 100 years since the end of World War One and I feel we owe it to those who made the greatest sacrifice to remember them in the best way possible,’ said Andrew.

‘The works that will be required will be re-pointing all the stonework and all the lead numbers and letters will get treated, primed and re-painted. The memorial itself will get a specialist clean, which will make it look a lot cleaner and brighter. Finally, the wall surrounding the memorial and below it will get a thorough clean and the weeds and moss treated.’

Andrew hopes to raise the money and have the works completed in time for Remembrance Sunday this year and has already been in contact with several local stonemason companies.

‘I have set up a fundraising page with a target of £3,000 to complete the works. The local Horrabridge Cavaliers and Horrabridge Combined Services Group have pledged their assistance and the parish council and church have given me their approval for this project.

‘I have already had some support from the village — the local Royal Marines Association has raised £100 and a local resident Mr Ken Corden, who is a veteran of the Falklands War, gave me two bronze statues to auction off.’

Steve Roche, for Horrabridge Parish Council, said: ‘Horrabridge Parish Council would always support members of the public wishing to keep our war memorial in pristine condition. We wish Andrew well in his fundraising.’

Anyone who would like to donate to the campaign to refurbish Horrabridge War Memorial can do so by visiting paypal.me/pools/c/85OY2MvvWD