The National Memorial Arboretum will change its name to the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens in September as part of the merger of the two organisations.
The NMA, the UK’s centre for remembrance in Staffordshire, finalised a merger with the RBL at the end of March.
The RBL has been the NMA’s parent charity since 2003 and the merger provides a “simplified governance structure” by creating a single trustee board and removing administrative duplication and associated costs, a spokesperson for the charities said.
“The NMA has operated with day-to-day operational independence while the RBL has provided strategic oversight and more than £34m of funding to support its work,” the spokesperson said.
“The integration simplifies these long‑standing governance arrangements, creating clearer lines of accountability through a single board of trustees while maintaining the Arboretum’s operational focus and specialist leadership.”
The Royal British Legion recorded an income of £160.7m according to its latest accounts, for the year to the end of September 2024, while the National Memorial Arboretum’s income was £4.7m in the same period.
The RBL employs more than 1,700 staff, including more than 100 people working at the NMA. There are no planned redundancies as part of the merger, the spokesperson said.
Philippa Rawlinson, director of remembrance at the Royal British Legion, will continue in her role leading the arboretum, the charity spokesperson said.
“The new name better reflects what the site has become and its role at the centre of the Royal British Legion’s national remembrance activity, while remaining rooted in the same founding principles and visitor experience,” the spokesperson said.
“The site will adopt the existing RBL brand and we worked with our existing agencies to support the process.
“The change to Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens branding will be phased and introduced carefully over time, maximising the use of existing budgets for collateral and, where practical, changes will be aligned with maintenance and renewal cycles.
“This approach will ensure visitors continue to enjoy a world-class experience while ensuring charitable resources are used sensibly and responsibly.”