Night of musical remembrance as Royal British Legion calls for poppy appeal support

Tom Bailey, Chairman of Rochdale Fusiliers Association, Councillor Alan McCarthy and the Mayor Councillor Carol Wardle

Pipers from the 70 Squadron Air Cadets joined the Band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Lancashire) in a moving ‘Festival of Remembrance’ concert at Rochdale Town Hall.

Representatives from the Royal British Legion and Rochdale Borough Council joined residents to remember the fallen.

The uplifting centenary concert also featured a performance by Freda Farnworth accompanied on the piano by Edward Rigg.

Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Carol Wardle urged the borough to support the annual poppy appeal: “It was a wonderfully moving but uplifting evening, it seems to get better and better every year. It was a spectacular concert and a pleasure to be involved with.”

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Lead Member for the Armed Forces, added: “The poppy has become a symbol of remembrance and the money raised by the sale of them is used to support British servicemen and women who have made and continue to make sacrifices for us in order to preserve our freedom. I encourage members of the public to make a donation for a poppy and show their support and respect.”

Poppies can be bought at Rochdale Town Hall, online at www.britishlegion.org.uk and from shops, supermarkets, pubs and clubs.

The Royal British Legion has a weekly base at Number One Riverside in Rochdale. Every Thursday from 10am to 1pm their Advice and Information Officers provide face to face advice and support to serving personnel, veterans and their families. The legion can also help them access other welfare services, financial support, property matters, education, retraining, bereavement counselling and membership enquiries.

Commemorations to salute the nation’s war heroes will be held on Remembrance Sunday (9 November), with six parades across the borough. Representatives from the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force will join veterans and civic dignitaries for the parades, which will take place in Rochdale town centre, Heywood, Littleborough, Middleton, Milnrow and Wardle.

And at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (Tuesday 11 November) the Mayor, Councillor Carol Wardle, will lead a two minute silence, with prayers given by Reverend Canon Shackleton, at the town’s war memorial opposite the Rochdale Town Hall.