Together with James Leek of the voluntary group One Man Went to Mow, the Wimbledon Society has been keeping the site of the Village War Memorial in good order for over two years. This month to mark the centenary of World War One, a ceremony was held on Armistice Day as new lighting was switched on. It was another initiative to ensure the memorial's prominence at the entrance to Wimbledon Village.

Society chairman Asif Malik introduced the event and Rev Mary Bide, Vicar of St Mary’s, reflected on the occasion before prayers. Merton’s Mayor, Councillor Agatha Akyigyina, officially switched on the lights.

She congratulated the Society and James Leek on the lighting initiative, stressing the Council’s appreciation of such private efforts in helping to improve the local environment and landscape. The event ended with a recitation by actor Benjamin Whitrow of Laurence Binyon’s poem For The Fallen and the sounding of the Last Post by Jonathan Bell, a pupil at King’s College School.