THE TINY PARK WITH A MIGHTY HEART is
a unique contribution to cultural diversity,
social history, common humanity
and surprises-with-a-smile
Thanksgiving Field and its
Uplifters Park
have their home behind the barn
at Tally Ho Farm Shop & Equine Centre,
Crouch Lane, Winkfield, Berkshire SL4 4RZ
United Kingdom
The fragments unearthed in its
historic 1943 USAAF B17 debris field are
now in outposts elsewhere in the UK,
in Germany, and across the USA. But the fences
are packed with dozens of plaques and stories
The Park is unattended but free to visit and enjoy
during the Farm
Shop opening hours
9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sundays
THE VISITORS' GUIDE TO THE FIELD &
PARK
to
print out or bring with you on tablet or phone
THE
GUIDE TO ALL THE PLAQUES
The fences of the Park carry over three dozen plaques
celebrating a great diversity of people and ideas.
You'll find they have lots of humanity and humour
and a great range of surprises.
The Guide has the wording on each, and background information.
THE GUIDE TO MISSION 115Z
The surprising story of how the fragments
were made into
unique conversation pieces
sent out far and wide
THE PATERNOSTER PLAQUES GALLERY
A remarkable new resource for local churches
and schools
to borrow
and put to use before it
has its home on the fence in early summer 2018
The Lord's Prayer in 20+ different languages
packed with examples of
cultural diversity
to muse on and amuse
ANOTHER GREAT LITTLE GET-TOGETHER IN OUR
TINY PARK!
SUNDAY 23 JUNE 2019
IS ANOTHER THANKSGATHERING TO PLACE PLAQUES
WITH A 14 OCTOBER 1943 SPECIAL EYE-WITNESS:
EILEEN GRANT WHOSE FAMILY GAVE REFUGE TO THE
CREW
WHEN THEY WERE BROUGHT TO "DAIRY FARM".
SHE HAS A TALE OF HUGE MEN, CRYING, PARACHUTE
SILK
AND CHEWING GUM.
Click on image for details
and also for families, schools, clubs, churches
and other communities
to join in and enjoy a lasting presence in the
Park - and beyond
At any time
PLACING A PERSONAL PLAQUE ON THE UPLIFTERS FENCE
to give thanks to and for someone or something
Like many other people already, you'll find lots
in the story of the Field & Park to smile at -
and surprise. Though only a few metres
wide and deep, the Park is bighearted and
unusual in being a public celebration of
kindness and humanity. And the value of VGOSH!
What started as chance find while
metal-detecting has become somewhere that shares
and projects mettle in many forms.
In long-cultivated countryside to the west of
London and close to Windsor, Legoland, Ascot,
and Bracknell, the Park is a very different sort
place for anyone to pop in. It's a good place
for a family picnic, and it's easy to arrange
something for small group visits.
The Park is at the edge of the big Field - and
the Fence has become the home of a big array of
plaques in tribute to Uplifters.
Uniquely, there are outposts in some unexpected
places including family homes, offices,
embassies, museums, and churches - in the UK,
across the USA, in Germany and elsewhere. If you
want to add a plaque or set up your own outpost,
you'll be very welcome - see the section below. The Field and Park started with my finding a
handful of metal relics from USAAF B17F #3351Z
seventy years after it tumbled into the tiny RAF
Winkfield and ended up ablaze in our Tally Ho field at
6.24pm on Thursday 14th October.
Z had been taking part in a very historic event
in the liberation of Europe - the Mighty Eight's Mission 115, second of over twenty raids on the city of
Schweinfurt. It was a brutal and memorable day's battle that
saw courage on both sides, military and
civilian, in the air and on the ground. It was
said that the story of Z was a remarkable saga -
and didn't drop its bombs. Our crew
had a happy landing, and most eventually went home to long
lives in the USA.
The burnt-out wreckage of Z was removed, and the
field left in peace until my metal detector
began to bong at 10.24am on Sunday 20 October
2013!
Intrigued, I researched the families and
communities involved then and now. What
came to light was
many stories of kindness, common humanity and
generosity of spirit. So it seemed
appropriate to make something in tribute not
just to them but to all the world's hidden
heroes after conflict of any sort -
who pick up the pieces and help life and hope
return.
The Thomas family at Tally Ho kindly suggested fencing off a
little space behind the barn, and I arranged
seats and some fun things to get people thinking.
The family been remarkably encouraging, and I've
tried to make sure that the Field & Park don't
impact on what is after all a very busy and
successful equine business. The Park itself is
low-maintenance - and incidentally has no
funding, committee, constitution or mission
statement.
It's now probably
the smallest park in the Berkshire - but has
links in spirit with nearby Lily Hill Park, Jealotts Hill Community Landshare,
Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Park, the American
German Air Memorial Garden and churches in
Schweinfurt, and Ramsey County Historical
Association.
More recently, the
Park has encouraged the acclamation of Uplifters: people who for
whatever reason are seen by individuals,
families or groups today as inspiring,
encouraging, or good to be around.It includes those Uplifters after
conflict.
But you’ll find they include quite a
merry and diverse cast!
And anyone is welcome to add their own example
on the Uplifters Fence and its plaques.
And to have an international take, autumn 2017
saw the public unveiling of the Paternoster
Plaques. This is a gallery with the familiar
Lord's Prayer in many different languages.
Before settling down in the Park in summer 2018,
the Paternosters will be available for local
churches and schools to put to use.
Happy landings! And oh - be kind to your
web-footed friends...
Hugh Gibbons
Assistant Ranger Doug Digger suggests that you
might now download and
browse this...
UPLIFTING VISITORS' ESSENTIALS IN THE FIELD & PARK
and their many things to explore and enjoy
Essentials for visitors
A brief account of the
background history
The Giving Thanks Seat with
its quiet ethos
The Thinksgiving Seat
and its fun questions for
children of all ages
The two 2016 trees: rowan
Williams and Nathaniel the
hawthorn
The Common Humanity Corners dedicated to
Henri Dunant, Louis Zamperini
and Everywoman
The solar-powered Guiding
Angel helping panes to and fro
nearby Heathrow
The Uplifters Fence with its
array of cheery plaques in
tribute to people and things
that inspire, encourage,
exemplify or amuse
The breathing space provided
by Sidcot School - to grab a
handful for home
The vista southwards with
its resident horses, birds,
bees, butterflies, trees and
breezes
Verbatim accounts of that
1943 day by crew members - and
local eyewitnesses!
A brief guide to Mission
115Z - but see below for the
detailed account
Doug the Digger suggests that you might also
download and browse this
GUIDE TO MISSION 115Z - OPERATION GOING HOME
with B17 relics made into tiny works of art as
special gifts
About two dozen of the cartridges, bullets,
lumps of molten duralumin and parts unearthed in
the debris field of B17F #3351Z have been made
into simple conversation pieces or brooches by
Hugh Gibbons.
The original idea was to send something home to
the crew's families - and return property of the
US Government 70 years late! But other
happy home suggested themselves.
Part of the fun has been in giving them titles -
and in arranging for special envoys to present
the items to their new homes.
It's a sort of dispersed reverse museum for the
Field - housed in homes, offices, galleries, and
the like instead of just one place.
They've been sent as tiny but telling gifts
to many different places, including members of
today's families of the crew, national and local
museums, memorial parks, the US and German
embassies in London, USAF personnel, churches
and communities in Schweinfurt, and heads of
state.
Most are mounted on oak from a tree way over 200
years old that was salvaged from Lily Hill Park in
Bracknell - believed overflown by Z in its final
few minutes.
The Guide has detailed information on all items
as in early 2017.
Doug suggests that you might enjoy the idea
of...
PLACING YOUR OWN PLAQUE ON THE UPLIFTERS FENCE
as an unusual lasting thank-you or tribute to
someone
Near or far, if you'd like to think of adding to
the array - and fun - you'll be very welcome to
do so. We'll add any backgound details to the
list in the Guide (and in time on this website).
The flyer on the left has the specification, but
contact
hughgibbons@just1.org.uk if you're thinking
about things.
You can bring along a plaque to place yourself,
or send it for Hugh who'll arrange a suitable
ceremony (that'll end with singing Be Kind...)
For the Contents and industrial-strength website set out on
our opening in June 2015
The fences of the Park carry over three dozen plaques
