Extended stay for White Horse’s popular silhouette soldiers

The art display near the White Horse featuring 10ft-high giant silhouettes of soldiers will remain until the end of the year following calls from the public for them to stay.

The display, which was installed in July as part of a campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers of using military land, was initially scheduled to remain in place for 28 days. However, it proved so popular with locals and visitors from further afield that it will now stay until the end of the year. 

The artwork was created by the charity Standing with Giants and installed to raise awareness of the MOD’s Respect the Range campaign to promote safety advice for members of the public, including families and children, about how they can stay safe when on and around military land.  

Soldiers from 5 Rifles became the face of the installation, with three 10ft-high silhouettes modelled on them standing proudly in the centre of the artwork. The ‘giants’ are surrounded by smaller metal silhouettes of members of the public carrying out common activities on the training estate, such as dog walking, hiking and cycling, to highlight how everyday activities can take place so close to military training. 

Brigadier Gavin Hatcher CBE, head of the UK Defence Training Estate, said, “The Westbury giants have proven really popular with both local residents and visitors to the area, and we’re delighted that we’ve reached an agreement for them to remain in place until the new year.  

“They’ve been a focal point in allowing us to promote our key safety messages to keep the public safe and allow our military to train uninterrupted.” 

Dan Barton, founder of Standing with Giants (SWG), said, “The enthusiasm with which the giants have been received is wonderful, and a testament to the hard work of the volunteers at SWG who brought the project to life.  

“Some of the images that local residents have shared with us have been truly spectacular and we’re really pleased the giants will be staying a little longer for more people to enjoy.” 

For more information on how you can use the Defence Training Estate responsibly, go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safe-access.