Journalists and their teams risk their lives every day to bring us news from the most dangerous corners of the world. Many have been killed in pursuit of the truth. Can you help put their stories ‘on the record’?
We wish to create the first permanent national memorial and accompanying database to commemorate both UK and UK-based journalists who have been killed in conflict. The trustees have registered a community interest organisation (CIO) with the Charity Commission, and have set a goal to raise £1,000,000 to create a striking, poignant and enduring tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of reporting teams who work in the most hazardous of circumstances.
From 2000 to 2022, 16 UK journalists were killed, and recent conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza further highlight the need for such a memorial. Most recently, in August 2024, Ryan Evans, safety adviser for Reuters, was tragically killed by a Russian airstrike in Eastern Ukraine.
This memorial will be located at the National Memorial Arboretum, with the aim of sharing the stories of these reporters with the 300,000+ visitors the site welcomes, every year. We have a particular focus on engaging young people through educational visits. In addition to the sculpture, families and colleagues will be invited to contribute to an online record, featuring footage and personal tributes to those who have been lost.
The object of the CIO is the promotion of good citizenship for the public benefit, through the creation of a permanent national memorial and accompanying online database that commemorates and remembers UK and UK-based journalists killed in the line of duty.
“As the parents of cameraman Simon Cumbers, who was murdered by Islamist terrorists in Saudi Arabia in June 2004 filming for the BBC, we wholeheartedly support and welcome a national memorial to journalists killed in the line of duty.
Simon, a talented and dedicated journalist, wanted to reveal and explain what is really going on in the world. He lost his life in the pursuit of that aim. His family and friends remember him every day. This memorial means others can remember him as well”.
– Robert and Bronagh Cumbers, parents of cameraman Simon Cumbers, who was killed in Saudi Arabia on June 6, 2004, aged 36.
On The Record Memorial is a registered charity (RCN 1211299). If you would like to help us take this campaign forwards, you can make a donation using the JustGiving link, below.
The memorial
Proposed for the National Memorial Arboretum, On The Record will provide families, colleagues and friends with a permanent space for reflection and remembrance. It will also allow school children and visitors to deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by reporters in conflict zones and the sacrifices that they routinely make to share
stories from the frontline.
The digital tribute
The memorial will be complemented by an online database to commemorate the UK-based individuals who lost their lives in pursuit of the truth, whilst reporting from conflict zones in a wide range of news-gathering roles. This digital tribute, created and hosted by Press Gazette, will help tell the stories of these reporters, preserving their legacy and ensuring their own achievements and experiences are put ‘on the record’
in perpetuity.
Leadership
The On The Record campaign is led by trustees, Sarah Sands, Jon Williams and Andrew Baud, and is supported by a steering group of former news correspondents and senior media representatives: https://ontherecordmemorial.co.uk/about-us/.
Our partners:
On The Record Memorial is supported by:
General The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL
General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO OBE DL
General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB CBE ADC
General Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE
Help us tell their story
If you would like to offer your support for On The Record, please get in touch with Andrew Baud on +44 (0) 7775 715775, or complete the enquiry form, below.