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

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.

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

TATU CITY, Kenya, March 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rendeavour , Africa's new city builder, and Wellington College Education , a leading British educational network, will open a co-educational day and boarding school for 1,500 students aged 3-18 in Tatu City , Kenya. Opening in September 2028, Wellington College International Kenya  will attract students and parents from Kenya, across Africa, and around the world to an unparalleled British education in the heart of the continent's leading new city.

Wellington College International Kenya is the second school in Africa to come out of the partnership between Wellington College Education and Rendeavour. Wellington College International Lagos  is located in Alaro City, Tatu City's sister city in Nigeria. By replicating the success of the Wellington College International Lagos campus at Alaro City, Rendeavour is creating a Pan-African network of education excellence that bridges West and East Africa.

Wellington College International Kenya will be the top school in East Africa, delivering an outstanding education that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and character to realise their potential and help shape a better world. Drawing students from neighbouring East African countries and beyond, the Tatu City campus is planned as a modern, purpose-built educational environment, providing advanced science laboratories and teaching spaces, innovative technology infrastructure, comprehensive sports and recreational facilities (including a 50-meter Olympic-standard swimming pool), creative and performing arts spaces, as well as dedicated areas supporting students' personal and social development. The state-of-the-art school further underpins the success of Tatu City, which has attracted USD 3.5 billion of investment to Kenya and created more than 30,000 new jobs in the last five years.

Wellington College International Kenya will follow the rigorous English National Curriculum, culminating in the challenging A-level programme, as well as offering coaching and teaching excellence in sports, music, and the arts. As part of the global Wellington College Education family, students at Wellington College International Kenya will benefit from connections with sister schools across Europe and Asia, including opportunities for collaboration, shared academic initiatives, and international programmes. On graduation, pupils will join the Old Wellingtonian alumni network, offering lifelong links to an established global community.

James Dahl, 15th Master, Wellington College, said, "The launch of Wellington College International Kenya is a moment of great pride for our global family of schools. For our new partners in Kenya, this interconnectivity will provide immediate access to the vibrancy, talent, and experience of our entire community."

Stephen Jennings, Founder and CEO of Rendeavour, said, "Receiving a top British education no longer requires sending children to the United Kingdom. Wellington College International Kenya offers a blend of academic rigour and extra-curricular activities and amenities found only at Tatu City and in Kenya, one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Kenya is on many families' 'bucket list' of life goals and experiences, and now they can also consider relocating to Kenya and Tatu City for access to one of the best education experiences in the world."

Sir Anthony Seldon, Founding Director, Wellington College Education, said, "Today's announcement of Wellington College International Kenya marks a transformative moment for education in East Africa. Wellington College's pioneering work at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Human Flourishing, developed in close partnership with the OECD, offers a model of schooling that is both deeply humane and boldly future-facing."

 

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Rendeavour and Wellington College Education to open global British School in Tatu City, Kenya