Groundhog Day Gate

The original inspiration for the In Perpetuity site was a frustrating search for a personalised 40th birthday gift.

I was born on February 2nd in 1981. Therefore I was destined to become a massive fan of the hit 1993 movie Groundhog Day that takes place (repeatedly) on that date.

It is a long-term ambition to head to Punxsutawney, Philadelphia to experience Groundhog Day in person. However, the pandemic travel restrictions would scupper those plans for 2021 and nudge my family in a more creative direction.

As dog owners we have been walking the footpath network of the Chiltern Hills and beyond for many years. We would read with curiosity the memorial plaques on gates, stiles, and benches and wonder at the stories behind them.

My wife decided that it would be fun to do something similar while i was still around to see it!

The Chiltern Society provide the opportunity to sponsor a gate in return for a donation to their charity. In a nod to my date of birth, the Groundhog Day Gate was installed. It will no doubt get at least an annual pilgrammage to visit it in years to come.

Note the groundhog protecting the gate from wannabe vandals

There are numerous schemes around the UK that give the opportunity to sponsor items in return for a donation, but they are not always easy to find.

In Perpetuity is a collection of naming sponsorship gifts or living memorials that I hope will make it easier for others to create a similar experience.

Jamie