The Next Generation Gives Voice to Police Remembrance
Young people’s reflections on loss, courage and sacrifice across policing will be shared by the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust (PAMT) in a series of poems released between now and Christmas.
Written to mark the fifth anniversary of the UK Police Memorial, the poems offer a moving insight into how a new generation understands and expresses remembrance. Through their words, young authors encourage us to pause and consider the people behind the uniform, the lives of those who died in service, and the families, friends and colleagues who remember them.
The series starts in November with three poems, followed by further selections in December.
The November poems draw inspiration directly from the UK Police Memorial located at the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens, formerly known as the National Memorial Arboretum. Each explores the symbolism of the Memorial’s open doorway, the threshold officers cross towards danger, and the leaves cut into the fabric of the brass tribute.
- Summertime Leaves, written by Alexander from John Taylor High School, explores grief, treasured memories and the hope of reunion through golden leaves, a comforting breeze and an open doorway.
- Behind that Door, written by John from John Taylor High School reflects on courage and the impact of loss on families, showing how love and remembrance endure.
- Into the Doorway…, written by Lucy from John Taylor High School, challenges us to consider whether we could face danger and risk our lives to protect others.
By sharing the poems more widely, the Trust hopes to bring these young voices to new audiences and encourage reflection beyond the annual Ceremony of Remembrance.
The poems were among 21 shortlisted entries in a competition organised by the National Remembrance Gardens as part of the Trust’s Education Programme. The winning entry, A Bird, written by Holly from Paulet High School, was read at the fifth anniversary Ceremony of Remembrance on 28th July.
For the Trust, the poems demonstrate the importance of involving young people in remembrance, giving them space to find their own words and helping ensure that the service and sacrifice of the fallen from across policing continue to be remembered by future generations.
Listen to the poems, read by the authors:
Summertime Leaves
Behind that Door
Into the Doorway