Memorial To The Clc
Charity 1213686
Overview
Summary
Memorial To The Clc appears to be a small, purpose-built public-memory organisation using commemoration, research and public education to address the historic marginalisation of the Chinese Labour Corps in First World War narratives. Its distinctive role is not only to create a memorial, but to turn an absent memorial tradition into a wider challenge about recognition, historical knowledge and whose contribution is visible in national remembrance. The available evidence suggests an emerging organisation whose intended influence may extend beyond a single monument.
Operational geography
Coverage: National
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- The only Birmingham location evidenced is the charity's registered/contact address at the Q-Lorc Resource Centre. This address is also used by the separate Chinese Community Centre – Birmingham, so it cannot reliably be treated as Memorial to the CLC's own operational site or a location where it delivers activity.
- The organisation's website identifies a proposed memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum and public-facing educational activity through research materials, events and media. This reasonably indicates a national rather than Birmingham-neighbourhood operational identity, but the available evidence does not establish the present status, location or timetable of the memorial project.
- No current Birmingham events, education delivery, staffed premises, local service venues or formal Birmingham partnerships were identified in the supplied evidence or the official sources consulted.
- There is no evidence sufficient to assign current operations to any of the supplied Birmingham wards or to City Centre.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme, events calendar or annual report identifying venues where the charity has delivered education, outreach, fundraising or commemorative activity.
- Confirmation from the charity of whether the Q-Lorc Resource Centre is used as an active office, meeting base or delivery venue rather than solely as a correspondence address.
- Documentation from the National Memorial Arboretum or the charity confirming whether a memorial project has been formally agreed, commissioned or installed.
- Details of any formal delivery partners and the locations in which joint activity is currently undertaken.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Education/training
- Other Charitable Purposes
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Other Charitable Activities
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A memorial is being used as a corrective to historical absence
The organisation appears to treat the lack of a UK memorial to the Chinese Labour Corps as evidence of a wider failure of public recognition, and sees commemoration as a means of correcting that absence.
Why it matters
This clarifies that the proposed memorial is not simply an arts or heritage project: it is the organisation's central intervention in how First World War history is publicly represented.
Show evidence
“The website states that there are over 100,000 war memorials in the UK but not a single one to the Chinese Labour Corps.”
Source:Organisation“The charity's object includes the creation, erection and maintenance of a war memorial to commemorate the Chinese Labour Corps.”
Source:Charity Commission
Its operating model combines physical remembrance with knowledge production
The organisation appears to regard a memorial alone as insufficient, pairing it with academic research and accessible educational material intended to change understanding over time.
Why it matters
This suggests a dual strategy: a visible civic landmark may create public attention, while research and education may provide the legitimacy and durability needed to reshape historical awareness.
Show evidence
“The objects include researching the Chinese Labour Corps in an academic context and providing well researched and referenced materials for academics, students and the general public.”
Source:Charity Commission“The website describes the Chinese Labour Corps contribution as largely forgotten and unknown to much of the British and global public.”
Source:Organisation
The organisation may be building a bridge between heritage and contemporary inclusion
By naming people of a particular ethnic or racial origin alongside the general public, the charity appears positioned to connect Chinese heritage, intergenerational learning and wider civic remembrance rather than serving only a specialist history audience.
Why it matters
This could make the organisation a potential connector between heritage bodies, education providers and Chinese community networks, although no current partnerships are evidenced.
Show evidence
“The charity identifies people of a particular ethnic or racial origin, children and young people, elderly people and the general public as beneficiaries.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity works in education or training and arts, culture, heritage or science.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Whether a memorial site, design, funding plan or delivery timetable has been secured.
- Whether the organisation currently produces research, educational resources or public events at meaningful scale.
- Which heritage, academic, local authority or Chinese community organisations it already works with.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual report, accounts and project updates showing current delivery, funding and governance.
- Details of partnerships, memorial planning, educational outputs and audience participation.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Create, erect and maintain a war memorial to commemorate the 20,000 people of the Chinese Labour Corps (CLC) whom were killed or died while assisting the British Forces behind the front lines in the 1st World War, the more than 100,000 in total who were in the CLC, and to educate and enlighten people about the assistance that was given by the Chinese in the First World War.
Charity objects
THE OBJECT OF THE CIO IS: TO ADVANCE ART AND EDUCATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC BY THE CREATION, ERECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF A WAR MEMORIAL TO COMMEMORATE THE 20,000 PEOPLE OF THE CHINESE LABOUR CORPS (CLC) WHOM WERE KILLED OR DIED WHILE ASSISTING THE BRITISH FORCES BEHIND THE FRONT LINES IN THE 1ST WORLD WAR, THE MORE THAN 100,000 IN TOTAL WHO WERE IN THE CLC, AND TO EDUCATE AND ENLIGHTEN PEOPLE ABOUT THE ASSISTANCE THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE CHINESE IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR. THIS WILL BE DONE BY RESEARCHING THE CLC IN AN ACADEMIC CONTEXT BY PROVIDING WELL WRITTEN, WELL RESEARCHED AND WELL REFERENCED MATERIALS FOR ACADEMICS, STUDENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.