Just as knowledge gives strength to the arm (the motto of the Intelligence Corps; the Army branch my own Dad served in), remembrance means offering our thanks to others, whilst it empowers us. Remembrance is to re-acknowledge, and take pride in, the courage, sacrifice, and honour of our heroic service men and women, in all their diverse roles. For this series of portraits, I’ve had the privilege to collaborate with residents at the Royal British Legion’s Galanos House care home. The photographs are products of our short times together, as these residents entrusted me to represent their stories, and honour their service. Not only did these conversations evoke gratitude and a sense of responsibility in me, they also remind us of the freedoms, values, and security we take for granted today and have been fought for, through the sacrifices and determination of our service men and women, past and present. This in mind, their experiences encourage me to harness and preserve what values and opportunities they have defended, and to approach life with greater humility, appreciation, and perspective - just as knowledge gives strength to the arm. I am proud to be able to open this exhibition on the evening of VE Day. I believe it only right to recall Sir Winston Churchill’s infamous phrase on the RAF’s defence during the Battle of Britain, which I believe to still be ever-relevant today, that “never (…) was so much owed by so many to so few”!

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To find out about each participant, follow the links below:

Grenville

Glyn

Hugh

Gary

Georgina