New Year Honour for Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign

12 January 2012

Success of Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign Acknowledged with New Year Honour

London financier Terry Smith, CEO of interdealer broker Tullett Prebon plc and of fund manager Fundsmith, who from 2007 to 2010 was Chairman of the Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign, has been made a Member of the New ZealandOrder of Merit in the New Year’s Honours for his services to New Zealand-United Kingdom relations.

The Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign was initiated by Terry Smith to gain public awareness of the achievements of the New Zealandborn RAF Officer during the Battle of Britain, and to secure a suitable site for a memorial statue to him in London, the city he did so much to defend.

In the UK more than 60 Members of Parliament from all parties, numerous peers and London Assembly Members gave their backing to the Campaign, together with the leaders of all the New Zealand political parties, including the then Prime Minister, Helen Clark.

In November 2009, the Campaign was successful in erecting a temporary statue of Sir Keith Park on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, which stood for a six-month period before being moved, the following May, to the RAF Museum Hendon where it is now on permanent display in the Battle of Britain Hall.

A permanent bronze memorial statue of Sir Keith Park, erected on the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, stands in Waterloo Place, London.

Terry Smith is honoured to receive the award, which he says reflects the overwhelming success of the Campaign.

“Like the Campaign, I hope this Award is a reminder of just the sort of efforts that some people put in to defend the freedoms, rights and privileges that we enjoy today.”

“I would like to thank all those, in New Zealand and the UK, who contributed to the success of the Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign.”

ENDS

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