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Lord Ashcroft’s VCs and GCs to have a new home at the National Army Museum

caribpr — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:01:47 +0000

LONDON, March 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lord Ashcroft’s collection of Victoria Crosses and George Crosses is to have a new home at the National Army Museum in London.

The collection is the largest of its kind in the world. It has been built up by Lord Ashcroft over the past 40 years and includes nearly 250 VCs and a smaller number of GCs. It was previously housed at the Imperial War Museum, London, which closed the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in September last year after 15 years.

Lord Ashcroft spoke today of his delight at the news: “I am thrilled to have found such a superb location for this unique collection of gallantry medals. I am so pleased that these VCs and GCs, spanning many major wars and conflicts of the past two centuries, will now be enjoyed by the public once again.

“The National Army Museum shares my passion for the decorations themselves and also to tell the incredible stories of bravery that go with them. I look forward to a long and happy partnership with the Museum for many years to come.”

Justin Maciejewski, the Director of the National Army Museum, said: “We are honoured to be entrusted with these VCs and GCs from the Lord Ashcroft Medal Collection. We are grateful to Lord Ashcroft for his continued generosity and commitment in championing these stories of extraordinary courage.

“The National Army Museum shares the history and heritage of our soldiers across the globe and down the centuries. Within that wider narrative, these medals, and the individual acts of extraordinary bravery and valour they represent, form a powerful part of the Army’s story.”

Chris Finney, a Trustee of the National Army Museum and the Chair of the VC and GC Association, said: “This rare and expansive collection spans centuries of military service, sacrifice, and extraordinary bravery across the Armed Forces.

“We are privileged to be given the opportunity to share these medals—and the inspiring personal stories they represent—with visitors, and online for the wider public, where they can continue to inspire people of all ages for generations to come.”

Lord Ashcroft began his collection of VCs in 1986 with the purchase of a single medal group at auction. The VC, instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, is Britain and the Commonwealth’s most prestigious decoration for valour in the presence of the enemy. The GC, created by George VI in 1940, is Britain and the Commonwealth’s most prestigious decoration for gallantry not in the presence of the enemy and it has been awarded to several civilians for acts of valour.

Lord Ashcroft’s VCs and GCs are part of the wider Lord Ashcroft Medal Collection, which includes Special Forces decorations and medals for valour in the skies and at sea. Lord Ashcroft’s long passion for gallantry awards was initially inspired by his late father, Eric, who as a young officer took part in the D-Day Landings on June 6 1944.

Lord Ashcroft’s collection of VCs includes one of just three VCs and Bars—the equivalent of two VCs—that have been awarded over the past 170 years. This is the medal group awarded to Captain Noel Chavasse VC & Bar, MC, a medical officer who served and was killed during the Great War.

Following the closure of the previous gallery, Lord Ashcroft has made his collection accessible digitally through his website. This new partnership with the National Army Museum will allow the public to visit the collection and be inspired by the remarkable stories they represent.

The VC and GC collection will go on display at the National Army Museum within the next two years. In the meantime, from July onwards some of Lord Ashcroft’s medals will go on display at the museum, including pop-up exhibitions.

As the home of the Army’s history and heritage, the National Army Museum will be displaying items from the Lord Ashcroft Medal Collection alongside its existing collections of objects, archives and artworks, telling the stories of soldiers and their service—including the origins of the Victoria Cross in the Crimean War.

Lord Ashcroft’s VCs and GCs will be shared on a long-term loan with the National Army Museum. Alongside their display, the Museum is planning a programme of exhibitions, educational resources, talks, tours and digital content exploring the human stories of courage behind the decorations.

Further details of the new partnership between Lord Ashcroft and the National Army Museum relating to the display of his VC and GC collection will be released over the coming months.

NOTE TO EDITORS

For more information on Lord Ashcroft’s work, visit:

LordAshcroft.com
LordAshcroftMedalCollection.com
Follow Lord Ashcroft on X and Facebook @LordAshcroft

Join in the conversation on:

X: @NAM_London
Facebook: facebook.com/NationalArmyMuseum
Instagram: @nam_london

More information on the Museum:

Opening times:
Tuesday to Sunday
10:00 – 17:00

Address:
National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HT

Website:
nam.ac.uk

National Army Museum

The National Army Museum shares the history and heritage of our soldiers and their service in the Army, across the globe and down the centuries. Through our collections we explore the history of the Army from its origins to the present day. We aim to engage and inspire everyone with the stories of our soldiers and how their service shapes our world; past, present and future.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2932767/The_Lord_Ashcroft_Medal_Collection.jpg

Vantage launches UK liquidity service for institutional traders

caribpr — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 13:32:44 +0000

LONDON, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — International multi-asset trading platform Vantage (or “Vantage Markets”) is announcing the launch of Vantage Connect, a liquidity solution for institutions and corporates in the UK.

To be officially announced at Finance Magnates London Summit 2022, the news comes as part of a wider strategic push by Vantage to expand the institutional side of their business in response to growing demand among hedge funds, family offices, banks, brokers, money managers and asset managers for bespoke trading solutions.

Widespread volatility has led to a 17.2% year on year increase in trading volumes globally this September. This presents both risks and opportunities for institutions, who must navigate rapidly changing market conditions, such as the LSE widened the spread limit on UK gilts, as well as bigger spreads, such as on the CFD and derivatives contracts that are commonly used in hedging strategies.

Vantage Connect allows these institutional clients to manage volatility effectively and make the most of market opportunities by leveraging Vantage’s deep liquidity pool to buy and sell complex assets quickly.

The offering is customised depending on what the clients’ needs are across the full range of Vantage’s services, including in-house built risk management and their unique PAMM (percentage allocation management module). It is quick and secure, as clients can easily plug into the service via an API, ensuring speed to market, and are protected under Vantage’s FCA license.

Vantage Connect will be exhibiting at this year’s FMLS and will be joined by the McLaren Extreme E team, who will be featuring their new vehicle.

David Shayer, UK CEO at Vantage, commented: “Market volatility often brings opportunities for those who know where to look, and we’ve seen the increasing volumes over the last few months. We’ve built up a strong retail solution, and now is the right time to expand to institutional investors. We have a strong team in the UK, all of whom are excited to launch the new service, that ensures that Vantage can be a trusted partner and a one-stop shop for the institutional trading community, and gives them the springboard to make the most of market opportunities.”

About Vantage

Vantage is a global, multi-asset broker offering clients access to a nimble and powerful service for trading CFDs on Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares and ETFs.

With more than 13 years of market experience, Vantage now has over 1,000 employees across more than 30 global offices.

Vantage is more than a broker. It provides a trusted trading ecosystem and a user-friendly trading platform that enables clients to take advantage of trading opportunities.

Be empowered to better capitalise on winning market opportunities when you trade smarter @vantage

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1745281/Vantage_Logo.jpg

CaribbeanTales Media Group, GreenAcres Films, and Imagine Media Entertainment Ink Development Deal for CLAUDIA

caribpr — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 14:00:00 +0000

Acclaimed Director Frances-Anne Solomon to spearhead

this historic new project

For Immediate Release

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, Canada, Mon. Nov. 9, 2020: The pivotal role played by British-Trinidadian journalist and activist Claudia Jones in launching the world’s largest street festival, the Notting Hill Carnival, is the focus of a new Canada-UK co-production.

Leading the production is acclaimed Canadian director Frances-Anne Solomon (Hero: Inspired by the Extraordinary Life and Times of Mr. Ulric Cross). The film will be produced by Solomon’s CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG), in partnership with Nadine Marsh-Edwards’ UK-Based Greenacre Films and Lisa Wickham’s Trinidad and Tobago-based Imagine Media International Limited.

Set in London in 1958 as violent race riots ravaged the country, CLAUDIA tells the story of Jones, a Trinidad-born activist deported to England from McCarthyite USA, who comes up with an ingenious plan to unite Britain’s Black and white working classes.

“Claudia was a modern day superhero rooted in the real world, whose remarkable life and achievements straddled the USA, England and the Caribbean.” says Solomon. “I could not be more excited to work with this global team of accomplished Black women to tell this inspiring story.”

“Greenacre Films is proud to partner with Frances-Anne and CaribbeanTales to tell the story of a remarkable Black woman whose achievements helped to shape the London we live in today,” says Marsh-Edwards, whose many acclaimed productions include Been So Long, starring Michaela Cole.

Imagine Media’s CEO Lisa Wickham believes that, “Frances-Anne’s film shines a much-deserved light on a Caribbean-born woman whose rich and beautiful legacy amplifies Black voices and experiences as a whole.”

Joining the team as co-creator and co-writer is British actress, writer and director Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Dr. Who, Invictus) and rising British screenwriter Omari McCarthy.

“Claudia’s work promoting women’s rights, Black rights and the rights of the poor and disenfranchised laid the seeds for so much that followed – African and Caribbean independence, civil rights, Pan Africanism and inevitably, today’s Black Lives Matter movement,” adds Adjoa Andoh.

CLAUDIA’s development has been funded by Telefilm Canada. The project is one of thirteen (13) films selected for the Attagurl Program, a unique year-long lab supporting the development and distribution paths of amazing projects by women and non-binary around the world.

Media Contact: Fennella Bruce | 647.290.7610 | fennella@fkbmedia.com

CaribbeanTales Media Group (CTMG) is a multi-faceted group of media companies that produces, markets, and sells culturally diverse film and television content from the Caribbean and its wide Diaspora. It includes: CaribbeanTales Inc a registered Canadian Charity, CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, a film distribution entity, CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, now celebrating 15 years; Caribbeantales-TV, a VOD streaming service; the Creatives of Colour Incubator, a year-round development and production hub, and CaribbeanTalesFlix, its production arm.

In 2014, Frances-Anne Solomon founded CineFAM, to amplify the voices of women of colour creators worldwide – that includes an annual film festival, an incubator and film productions. 2020 sees the launch of the inaugural Windrush Caribbean Film Festival, a UK-based charity that celebrates the impact of the Windrush generation on life on Britain and the world.

Recent award-winning CTMG productions include HERO – Inspired by the Extraordinary Life & Times of Mr. Ulric Cross by Solomon (Trinidad & Tobago/Canada 2019); Caribbean Girl NYC by Mariette Monpierre (Guadeloupe/Canada 2016); Battledream Chronicle – A New Beginning, by Alain Bidard (Martinique/Canada 2016); and Kingston Paradise by Mary Wells (Jamaica/Canada 2014).

Greenacre Films is an independent production company founded by award-winning producers Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks. They bonded over their desire to create fresh, surprising stories with diverse voices. Working with great talent is the key to our success, we are an inclusive space that allows innovative ideas to be realised; where whether you are an award-winning writer or an exciting newcomer you feel able to be bold in your vision and creatively ambitious. Our television and film slate aims to connect with both the UK and global audiences and all, at their heart, are stories that explore the human condition in surprising and entertaining ways.

Imagine Media International Limited is an award-winning, full-service, production company, based in Trinidad and Tobago and South Africa. Founded by award-winning producer-director & media personality Lisa Wickham, the company provides content creation across all media platforms, event management, marketing & PR Services, graphic design and training & consultancy. Imagine Media has developed and coordinated projects in Europe, North America, Africa and several Caribbean countries.