‘Silent Soldier’ stone installed at Norden War Memorial

Norden Cenotaph

The Norden War Memorial has received a fitting new addition in the form of the stone from the award-winning ‘Silent Soldier’ exhibit at the Royal Horticultural Society’s famed flower show.

The exhibit, a smaller version of the ‘pop-up’ garden near the Gracie Fields statue in Rochdale centre, was awarded a gold medal and accolade of Best Blooming Border over seven other entries at the flower show in Tatton Park.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/120592/blooming-marvellous-rochdale-in-blooms-silent-soldier-exhibit-is-best-in-category-at-rhs-flower-show

The exhibit will now be split across Rochdale, with the topiary tree and bench being donated to Springhill Hospice, the frame to Petrus Allotments, plants and flowers reused at Norden Jubilee Park and the sleepers transformed into planters.

Paul Ellison, of Rochdale in Bloom, said: “This is a fitting tribute to our beautiful war memorial and is a great addition alongside the soldier silhouette. Many thanks to Jamie White and Mark from Rochdale Council’s Environmental Management for helping with the installation.”

Whilst installed at Tatton Park, the exhibit, based on 100 years’ celebration of the end of World War One, suitably featured a lone piper from the Oldham Scottish pipe band playing a lament, truly adding to the reflective atmosphere.