Our Miners’ Memorial Garden celebrates and commemorates the courage and camaraderie of our miners, and the close-knit families and communities that supported them. A place for quiet contemplation and reflection, the Garden allows all who visit us to share memories of what coal mining has meant to them over many generations.
At the very heart of the Garden stands a specially-commissioned art installation, ‘Lives Lived, Lives Lost’, the concept of renowned public artist Stephen Broadbent. Standing almost three metres high and curving around in a sweeping arc, the Corten steel screen holds your personalised glass check securely in place.
You can let your loved ones take their place in history, joining many great miners and their communities who contributed to this mighty industry. Whether you wish to remember a loved one or share a memory of the community in which you live, there are many ways to remember and personalise your glass check.
The handcrafted glass checks are reminiscent of the circular brass checks used when going underground. Each glass check is individually handcrafted in one of a variety of vibrant colours by glass artists Gary and Annette McMillan of Stonegate Glass Studio. Layers of glass are brought together and kiln-formed, fusing your personalised message on to the check and creating a unique and lasting memory for years to come.
By buying a handcrafted glass check in their name, you can create a focal place where you can honour and remember your loved ones in a calm and reflective place where you can hear the wind whistling through the trees and burbling water.
Donate towards a personalised disc…
Each check costs £75 and will be created and installed in batches every six months (approximately). You will be emailed when your check has been installed.
You will also receive an invitation to a special commemorative event which takes place annually, where you will be able to see your installed check as part a heart-warming ceremony. Please note that our event is expected to take place on 17 May 2025.
You can visualise your personalisation below with our glass check preview function, keeping within the character limits specified.
Please ensure your personalisation details are correct, as it may not always be possible to rectify any errors later.
Colours of the individual discs are allocated upon creation by the artist, in order to ensure an even spread of colours within the art installation.
The personal information you provide below will be used to process your glass check personalisation and issue invitations to our commemorative events. Full details of why we collect your data, how we will use it and your rights are given in our privacy notice which can be found here.