Malvern Town Council and Worcestershire group The Trench Raiders will be staging a unique concert at Malvern College’s St Edmund’s Hall on Friday 26th September, to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War.

Entitled ‘Remembering the Heroes of War’, the concert also aims to raise the remaining funds required for the restoration of the memorial to Henry Ward VC in Great Malvern Cemetery.

Henry Ward, who died in Malvern in 1867, won the Victoria Cross for bravely standing guard over a litter in which wounded comrades were being carried during the Indian Rebellion of 1857; by his actions both lives were saved. Henry Ward did not die in service, so the Commonwealth War Graves Commission does not maintain the memorial, and it is currently in a state of disrepair.

The Victoria Cross Trust has agreed to fund half of the restoration costs and to maintain the grave in perpetuity, and Malvern Town Council has received generous donations towards the remaining funding. More information about Henry Ward can be found at Malvern Museum.

The Trench Raiders are a group of singers and musicians who aim to deliver a lighthearted evening of songs and anecdotes relating to the First World War - and the audience will be invited to sing along!


The songs all have their origins in 1914-18, and parodies as sung by the ‘Tommies’ are also performed, commemorating and celebrating the stoic humour of British soldiers amidst four years of hellish fighting.

Between the songs, an informative commentary is given by Kenneth Wright, who is a military historian specialising in the First World War, which gives the audience a serious factual account of the tragedy and heroism of the conflict.

Tickets are on sale from Malvern Town Council’s offices at 28-30 Belle Vue Terrace, priced at £7.50 for adults and £5 for children, which includes a glass of wine or juice. The Council Offices are open 9am – 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am to 4pm on Friday.

For more information about the concert, please contact Eadwine Brown at Malvern Town Council: 01684 566667 or ebrown@malvern-tc.org.uk.

All proceeds from the concert will be split equally between the Henry Ward VC Memorial Restoration Fund, Mayor Julian Roskams’ chosen charities, Age UK and Dementia UK, and the Not Forgotten Association.

The Not Forgotten Association is a unique national tri-service charity which provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for the serving wounded, injured or sick and for ex-service men and women with disabilities. Each year, approximately 10,000 individuals of all ages are supported by the Not Forgotten Association.

For more information please contact Eadwine Brown at Malvern Town Council: 01684 566667 or ebrown@malvern-tc.org.uk