Valley falls silent in tribute to fallen
THE Valley fell silent to commemorate the fallen at Remembrance services.
The annual service took place in Stacksteads on Friday, November 10 at the Peace Garden. It was supported by the Stacksteads Band, Veterans In Communities choir, local veterans and children.
Armistice Day was marked in Edenfield on Saturday, November 11 with a service at the Memorial Gardens, organised by the residents association and led by Reverend Dr John Illsley.
Eight events on Remembrance Day began in Helmshore at St Thomas’s Church. Attended by MP Jake Berry, the parade marched to the Memorial Gardens for a wreath laying ceremony with music from the Haslingden and Helmshore Band.
Alan Woods, RBL Helmshore Branch Secretary, said: “The Helms- hore community turned out in their hundreds. It was particularly pleasing to see so many young people on parade from the 1969 Rossendale Air Training Corps and all the local youth organisations.”
The Crawshawbooth community met for a service at Rakefoot Methodist Church, followed by an Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial, attended by around 200 people and supported by the 45 Rossendale scouts.
Organiser Rev Jenny Montgomery said: “It was good to come together and celebrate and remember, and to reflect on how we can stop this loss of life in the future and work for peace.”
Around 900 people turned out in Whitworth which saw a procession to the Memorial Gardens in Facit, led by Whitworth Vale and Healey Brass Band, followed by a Service of Remembrance at the cenotaph. Mayor of Whitworth, Coun Alan Neal, said it was a ‘wonderful occasion’.
A service at Cowpe Sunday School was followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial. Organiser Ann Elmer said: “The lives of the 24 men who died in the First World War and the four who died in the Second World War were remembered.”
A service at Trickett’s Memorial Ground on Burnley Road East, was organised by Waterfoot Forward. Rev Penny King led proceedings and St Nicholas Primary pupils read prayers.
Organiser Tim Nuttall said: “Students Ella Chard and Joseph Eaton from BRGS read the names of the 44 men from Sir H W Trickett’s Gaghills Mill who died during the First World War.”
A parade in Haslingden organised by the local British Legion branch was followed by a war memorial service led by Father Stephen Brown and attended by the Army Cadets, members of the Legion, dignitaries, fire service and public.
RBL committee member Amy Thompson said: “The amount of people that turned out this year, both to parade and spectate has been very much up on last year – something we as a committee are extremely proud of.”
The Rawtenstall event began with a parade to the Town Square accompanied by the 2nd Rossendale Scout Band and Mayor of Rossendale Colin Crawforth, before proceeding to the Cenotaph for a service and wreath laying. Dawn Taylor, from the town’s Remembrance Parade Committee, said: “There were upwards of 750 people who marched or attended the service at St Mary’s Cenotaph to honour those who have made the sacrifice for us.”
Around 200 people attended the parade in service in Bacup, which proceeded along Rochdale Road and Burnley Road to the memorial for wreath laying, accompanied by the Haslingden cadets and the Stacksteads Band, and the service was led by Rev Michael Holt. Peter Steen, poppy appeal organiser, said: “It was an excellent turnout and it seems to increase every year. It was an impeccable two minutes silence.”
In Ramsbottom The Royal British Legion Standard Bearers were accompanied through the streets of the town by a lone piper along with representatives from local cadets of the Army and Air Force, members of Ramsbottom RBL, emergency services and large numbers of the local Scouting movement, to a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial outside St Paul’s Church on Bridge Street.
Branch Secretary Gary Pemberton thanked the people of Ramsbottom for turning out in their hundreds to show their support.