The Veterans' Foundation is immensely proud to have supported the creation of the UK’s first memorial solely dedicated to veterans and Armed Forces personnel who have died by suicide.
The Elysium Memorial, which received a £5,000 Veterans' Foundation grant, was officially unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, on Sunday 13, September.
For families, friends and comrades who have experienced the devastating loss of a loved one to suicide, the memorial provides a permanent and dignified place to remember, reflect and pay tribute.
The dedication ceremony brought together bereaved families, veterans and members of the Armed Forces community in a deeply personal act of remembrance.
The memorial was founded by British Army veteran Edward Mackenzie following the loss of a close friend.
During more than 30 years of military service, Edward had witnessed the devastating impact of suicide within the Armed Forces.
However, seeing hundreds of mourners at his friend’s funeral became a turning point.
He began asking: “Something needs to be done. Is there anything to remember these people?”
That question led to the creation of Elysium in 2021...a place designed not only to remember those who have died, but also to recognise the families, friends and comrades who continue to carry their loss.
Construction began in spring 2026, with the memorial designed by Edward Mackenzie, Col Millen OBE (Rt’d) and Calvert’s stonemasons.
Built from Yorkshire Witton Fell stone and bronze, it also includes contributions from carpentry and stonemasonry students at Burton & South Derbyshire College.
Elysium is different from most projects supported by the Veterans' Foundation because it is a memorial. However, the Foundation made an exception because its purpose reaches far beyond remembrance.
As well as ensuring that those who died are never forgotten, the memorial aims to encourage more open conversations about suicide and mental health, challenge stigma and help people feel able to seek support when they need it.
Edward Mackenzie, Founder of the Elysium Memorial Foundation, said: “Being given £5,000 from the Veterans' Foundation provided crucial support to turn the vision for Elysium into a reality.
"I hope this memorial allows us to stop hiding from the word ‘suicide’ and start talking about it more openly.
"The mental health of the armed forces community is a key focus for us, and the Elysium Memorial gives our community a dignified place for people to remember those they have lost, while driving the crucial conversations that break the stigma around mental health and suicide.
"Most crucially, this is a place to remember the people we have lost. Their lives mattered, and they should never be forgotten.”
Jane Gurney, Chief Executive of the Veterans' Foundation, said: “This memorial is a landmark step forward, and we are so proud to support it."
"The mental health of the armed forces community is a key focus for us, and the Elysium Memorial gives our community a dignified place for people to remember those they have lost, while driving the crucial conversations that break the stigma around mental health and suicide.”
The unveiling comes amid particular concern about suicide among younger veterans.
Office for National Statistics figures show that male veterans aged 25 to 34 have a suicide rate more than twice that of men of the same age in the general population.
This figure underlines why the conversations encouraged by the Elysium Memorial are so important. By talking more openly about suicide and mental health, more people may feel able to seek support when they need it.
The Elysium Memorial Foundation supports serving personnel, veterans and their families across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
Alongside the physical memorial, the Foundation is developing digital remembrance to preserve the stories of those who served and ensure their lives are not forgotten.
You can find out more about the Elysium Memorial Foundation by visiting: https://www.elysiummemorial.co.uk/
