Desert Rats memorial bid boosted by Narborough fete and dog show

A move to a new venue hasn't distracted supporters of a veterans’ group from pursuing their long-term aim.

For the past five years, the Desert Rats Association has been raising funds to build a new memorial to its servicemen who died in conflicts dating back to the Second World War.

One of its key fundraisers has been a dog show and fete, which was held for the first time at the Narborough Community Centre on bank holiday Monday.

The event, which was held with the support of the village’s parish council, is estimated to have raised around £930 towards the project, which is expected to cost around £75,000.

The show was held in Oxborough for three years before being staged virtually in 2020, due to Covid.

The Desert Rats have a strong association with this area as they were stationed in the nearby Thetford Forest in the months leading up to the D-Day landings – the only period in which they were based on British soil.

Narborough parish council vice-chairman Peter Wilkinson said it had been a “privilege” to help the group after their usual venue become unavailable. Members of the community centre’s management committee also helped during the day.