Lord Ashcroft donates final £1 million for Bomber Command Memorial Lord Ashcroft donated £57,000 - or £3,000 for each of the VCs awarded to Bomber Command, when the Telegraph launched its Forgotten Heroes campaign to raise funds for the memorial in 2008. He later agreed that when the campaign came within £1m of its target, he would provide the remaining funds. Lord Ashcroft paid his first visit to the memorial as he gave his donation to the Bomber Command Association, and declared it "stunning." He said: "At long last, this is a memorial worthy of those 55,000 men who lost their lives." The total cost of the memorial, its maintenance and the opening ceremony is £9.5m, including £1m which was donated by the Government as a grant to pay for VAT. Although the £6.5m needed for the memorial, designed by Liam O'Connor and featuring a sculpture by Philip Jackson, has been raised, the Bomber Command Association is still raising the £1.5m fund needed for its upkeep, as well as £500,000 to pay for security, policing and seating for the opening ceremony. Donations can be made at www.bombercommand.com