Freedom Fountain: a living memorial Cambridge can be proud of

Freedom Fountain is being created in Cambridge to honour the soldiers of the United British Indian Army — men from across today’s India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Burma (Myanmar) who served in the First and Second World Wars, and whose contribution has too often been missing from Britain’s public story.

This will not be a statue you pass once a year. It’s designed as a working fountain and “living memorial” — a place you can visit any day: to reflect, learn, bring your children, and remember together.

Today’s update: we can finally build — and you can finally donate

We’ve reached a turning point.

1) Planning permission is granted

Cambridge has now granted full planning permission for Freedom Fountain to be built at Ditchburn Place (just off Mill Road), beside the Cambridge Gateway from India.

2) Our charity is registered

The charity behind the project is now formally registered — meaning donations can now go directly to delivery, with clear governance and transparency.

3) We’re taking this story to Westminster

On 9 February, we will host a reception at Speaker’s House, Westminster, bringing together supporters and community leaders to showcase the project and widen the circle of people helping us deliver it.

What we’re building (in brief)

At the heart of Freedom Fountain is a design that carries meaning in every element:

• A bronze banyan tree (a symbol of endurance and shared roots) with water flowing gently from its branches

• A paisley (buta)-shaped pond in stone, with national floral symbols represented in bronze

• A gently curved wall with engraved plaques — a space for reflection and storytelling

• A commitment to sustainability, including solar-powered systems and water-conservation design principles

Why this matters — and why Cambridge

Millions served, and many later helped rebuild Britain after the war — yet their story is still rarely visible in our public spaces. Freedom Fountain exists to change that: a permanent, inclusive, everyday reminder that Cambridge can host and share with the world.

Placing it at Ditchburn Place — beside the Cambridge Gateway from India, in one of Cambridge’s most diverse neighbourhoods — makes the message real: shared history belongs in shared space.

Where your donation goes

Our projected budget range is £100,000–£150,000, depending on final technical and materials decisions.

Your gift helps move us from approved plans to built reality — including:

• Bronze casting and stonework

• Plumbing/hydraulics and sustainable systems

• Landscaping, access paths and seating

• Interpretation and education elements so visitors can learn the story, not just see a structure

We’ve committed that 100% of donations go directly to the memorial.

The people and partners behind the project

This is a community-built memorial, backed by a growing circle of supporters — artists, engineers, institutions, and civic/community voices.

Key contributors include:

• Cambridge-based sculptor Colleen McLaughlin Barlow (design concept)

• Dyson Centre for Engineering Design (University of Cambridge) (plumbing/hydraulics and technical development)

• Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) (public engagement and interpretive elements)

• Bronze Age Foundry (bronze elements)

How you can help today:

• Donate on this JustGiving page (and add Gift Aid if you can).

• Share this campaign with anyone who believes Cambridge should tell this story publicly and permanently.

• Get involved with skills, introductions, or community outreach.

Useful links:

• About the memorial (design, budget, partners): https://freedomfountain.org.uk/about

• Latest news and milestones: https://freedomfountain.org.uk/news

• Support / ways to help: https://freedomfountain.org.uk/support

Our promise

We will keep building this the right way: apolitical, areligious, and all-encompassing — honouring service and sacrifice across communities, and creating a space Cambridge can pass down to future generations.

www.freedomfountain.org.uk