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Guiding Lights is a learning and participation project that aims to bring a unique dimension to Illuminated winter light trail, representing our commitment to being freely open to all.
The project showcased the power of storytelling through collective creativity. Working with a wide range of participants in schools and community settings weaving the threads of arts, culture, history, and Remembrance.
Over 1000 local children joined us on a captivating journey into the magic of light at the National Remembrance Gardens, discovering how light surrounds us, guides us, and helps us remember.
Led by Arbie the owl, our curious feathered friend, this inspiring project invited key stage 1 and early key stage 2 pupils to take part in two creative school workshops. During participatory sessions, the students worked with an artist to design and decorate their own personal lights of Remembrance, each one a glowing contribution to a stunning final installation here at the Gardens.
Over 80 community participants came together through a series of arts-based workshops to create 30 large poppies, displayed as part of the Illuminated route in 2025.
Crafted from recycled materials, the artworks offered participants a chance to connect with others, learn new skills, and reflect on Remembrance and its personal meaning. Together, they explored the universal symbol of Remembrance, the poppy, bringing it to life through creativity, collaboration, and shared reflection.
The VJ Indian Army Project, created in partnership with the Royal British Legion and artist Mahtab Hussain, celebrated the bravery and unity of the 2.5 million soldiers of the British Indian Army who served during the Second World War.
At its heart stood a powerful bronze sculpture honouring the diverse soldiers of the British Indian Army, symbolising strength, sacrifice, and solidarity.
Alongside the sculpture, the striking Art Deco–inspired poster “We Won the War Together” paid tribute to their shared fight for freedom and equality, reinforcing the project’s message of remembrance, unity, and recognition across communities.
Working with over 1,000 Year 9 students, the project extended into schools through a creative learning programme inspired by Mahtab’s artistic practice. Students explored themes of identity, service and remembrance, reflecting on the stories of the British Indian Army and their global legacy. Through a series of artist-led workshops, they developed their own poster artworks, translating their understanding into powerful visual responses.
These student creations are curated and displayed as part of the exhibition, forming a vibrant, collective tribute that connected young people to history through creativity and collaboration.
Mahtab Hussain
Mahtab Hussain is a British artist whose work powerfully explores identity, race and belonging within the British Muslim experience.
Raised in Birmingham to first-generation British Pakistani parents, his photography draws from personal narratives to challenge stereotypes and highlight marginalised voices.
With thanks to the below schools for taking part and displaying their artwork within our exhibition:
Paulet High School & Sixth Form College
Ashby School
The Royal Sutton School
Ormiston Sheffield Community Academy
John Taylor High School
Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Voluntary Academy
Stockland Green School
West Coventry Academy
John Taylor Free School
