Churches across the Diocese have hosted special services to remember those who have been killed or injured in road traffic collisions across the globe.
The services were held on Sunday the 15th November, the World Day of Remembrance, which falls during Road Peace Week.
Fr Paul Cartwright, Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Barnsley, says, “Having worked as a family liaison officer supporting families who have been bereaved as a result of road traffic crashes, I see the services which take place not only in the UK, but throughout the world as an important way in which families and first responders can come together to recognise the impact that road crashes have on all our lives.”
(Right, Dean of Ripon John Dobson with representatives of the emergency services at Ripon Cathedral)
The theme for this year’s World Day of Remembrance was ‘It’s time to Remember – Say NO to Road Crime!’.
The World Day of Remembrance’s website claims that, ‘this theme relates to the call in Pillar 4 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action, namely for Safer road users – through the development of comprehensive programmes to improve road user behaviour and sustained or increased enforcement of laws and standards. These actions to be combined with public awareness and education to reduce speeding, drink-driving and other risk factors, as well as increase seat-belt and helmet wearing rates.’
This year, World Remembrance Day celebrated its 20th anniversary of being observed internationally and the 10th year that it has been recognised and adopted by the UN.
World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) was set up to remember the millions of people who are killed and injured on the world’s roads, as well as to support the families and friends of the victims of road traffic collisions, and to thank the emergency services for their work in road traffic collisions and their attempts to prevent and reduce them.
The day is commemorated every year on the third Sunday of November across the continents with 82 events being held across 41 different countries for World Remembrance Day 2014.
In Barnsley, former police officer turned priest, Fr Paul Cartwright held a service at 4pm at St Peter’s Church, on Doncaster Road.
Fr Cartwright says, “This year we are blessed to welcome a chaplain who works for Billy Graham, and who also has experience in supporting bereaved families, and who will speak about his work to those present.”
In Halifax, the Minster held an Oak Leaf Service on Sunday the 15th November at 4pm to bring together those affected by road traffic collisions.
Preacher was Dudley Martin, a Chaplain of West Yorkshire Police Service, during this remembrance service.
At Ripon Cathedral, the Oakleaf service for the victims of accidents in North Yorkshire was organised by the North Yorkshire Police Chaplaincy with valued help from the cathedral staff, offerig a chance for family and friends to remember those who have lost their lives in road collisions in the county.
The service was also an opportunity for all the agencies who work together to reduce deaths on the county’s roads to meet and recognise their common cause.
Speaking about the importance of the service, Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick from North Yorkshire Police said: “The annual service is a poignant event in our calendar. It allows the agencies involved with road safety to remember not only those who have died or suffered a serious injury, but also the loved ones who have lost someone and those who are caring for the victims. We are well aware of the pain and hurt that road traffic collisions cause and so we will continue to work with 95 Alive, the road safety partnership for North Yorkshire, to make the roads across the county as safe as possible and reduce the numbers of casualties.”
In Leeds, the Minster also held Oakleaf service at 3pm
To find out more about the World Day of Remembrance, please visit the website here: http://worlddayofremembrance.org/