Towns and churches across the Diocese are expecting thousands to turn up to the events and services arranged over the next week to mark Remembrance Sunday – a commemoration to those who have lost their lives to protect our country.
The Rt Revd Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfield, says, “Remembrance Sunday is an important event in our national life and has been increasingly well supported in recent years.
“There are major commemorations in many of the towns and villages of our area.
“People are increasingly mindful of the troubled world in which we live and of the part played by our armed forces in preserving peace.
“This is a time to reflect also on the responsibility we all share to work for a more just and peaceful world, responding to the call of Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace.”
The Church of England has just released a special film for Remembrance based on the words of the famous war poem For The Fallen by Laurence Binyon. You can watch the film online here: bit.ly/1Q6KZIr
Many churches have already been involved with the annual poppy appeal in support of Remembrance Sunday, with Wakefield Cathedral setting a prime example as they will be covering their steps with home-made poppies on the day of their Remembrance service – the 11th November.
On Monday 2nd November the Spenborough British Legion, with support from Howard Park School, dedicated a short-term Garden of Remembrance to the soldiers by laying poppies in their memory outside Cleckheaton Town Hall.
A further dedication was made on Wednesday 4th November in the Garden of Remembrance at Loncauseway in Dewsbury Town Centre with the Mayor and Mayoress of Kirklees both attending to pay their respects to Britain’s fallen soldiers.
Friday the 6th November also saw an Act of Remembrance in Dewsbury Cemetery, with the New Friends of Dewsbury Cemetery and children from Boothroyd Primary Academy, St Paulinus Catholic School and St John’s Church of England Infant School playing key roles in the service.
Below is a list of other upcoming events across the Diocese that will commemorate Remembrance Day over the next week.
Sunday 8th November
- BATLEY – A procession will assemble at Batley Market Place at 10:15, and at 10:35 will march to the Batley War Memorial Gardens for a service at 10:55. After the service, the procession will re-form in Cambridge Street and return to Town Hall where refreshments will be served.
- BIRSTALL – People will assemble at 1:45pm on Carr Street/Market Street corner, Birstall, and will march at 2:00pm for a service at St Peter’s Church at 2:20 where wreaths will be laid at the War Memorial.
- CLECKHEATON - Hundreds of local veterans, cadets and members of uniformed groups will gather outside St Johns Church, Cleckheaton, at 2:15pm. They will then parade through the town centre and lay wreaths in Cleckheaton's Memorial Park before returning to St John's for a special service, beginning at 2:45pm.
- DENBY DALE – There will be a service at Denby Dale Methodist Church, Cumberworth Lane, at 9:30am followed by a short service and wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial at 10:50.
- DEWSBURY – A procession will assemble at Dewsbury Town Hall at 10:00am and will march to Dewsbury Minster at 10:10 for a service at 10:30. Following the service, the procession will re-form and parade to Crow Nest Park for a service and wreath-laying at the War Memorial at 12:45pm, which the M.P Paula Sheriff and Mayor and Mayoress of Kirklees will be attending. Refreshments will be available in Dewsbury Town Hall for those taking part. There will also be services at Trinity Church, Batley Carr; St Peter’s, Earlsheaton; and St John’s, Dewsbury Moor.
- EAST BIERLEY AND BIRKENSHAW – There will be a short dedication at Birkenshaw War Memorial in St. Paul’s Church at 9:30am. Afterwards, the Parade will re-form in front of the Community Hall and will march at 10:10 through Birkenshaw on Bradford Road to the Cenotaph on South View Road, East Bierley. An Act of Remembrance at Cenotaph will begin at 10:40.
- GOLCAR – Many will assemble at Manor Road at 10:15am for a service at the War Memorial at Jubilee Square at 11:00. There will be a parade to Golcar Royal British Legion Club (salute outside the Rose and Crown) with a possible short stop at the Providence Church for the congregation to join the parade.
- HECKMONDWIKE – There will be a service round the War Memorial in Green Park, Heckmondwike, at 12:00 noon.
- HOLMFIRTH – A service will be held at 10:45am in Holy Trinity Parish Church followed by a wreath-laying service at the War Memorial. The wreath to be laid in church will then be taken to the War Memorial for a ceremony at 12:00 noon. Refreshments will be provided in Holme Valley Hospital after the service.
- HONLEY - At 10:00am there will be a service of Remembrance at St Mary's Parish Church, Honley. At 10:45 a parade will march to the War Memorial for a Service of Remembrance and laying of wreaths. The Parade will then reform and march back to village centre.
- HUDDERSFIELD – A procession will assemble on Victoria Lane at 10:15am and will march at 10:30 for the service to be held at 10:50 in Huddersfield Parish Church. The procession will re-form and the salute will be taken in the Market Place on the return route. The procession will dismiss in Ramsden Street outside the Town Hall where refreshments will be available.
- KIRKBURTON – There will be a service at Parish Church at 10:30am. Wreaths will be laid in church and at the War Memorial.
- LONGWOOD – There will be a service at St Mark’s Church at 10:30am followed by a wreath-laying at service at 12:00 noon at the War Memorial, Longwood Gate, Longwood.
- MARSDEN – An assembly will meet at the Marsden Royal British Legion at 10:20am. The group will march at 10:40 to the Cenotaph in Marsden Park for a wreath-laying ceremony and a two minutes silence at 11:00. Following the ceremony, the parade will re-form and march to St Bartholomew's Church for a Remembrance Service at approximately 11:20 after which it will return via Station Road and Dirker Drive to Royal British Legion HQ for dismissal.
- MELTHAM – A parade will assemble in Carlile Street at 10:20am and will march to St Bartholomews Church at 10:30 where the service will be held at 10:45. Following the service, the parade will re-form in Greensend Road, march through Market Place for salute and will be taken on the Library steps prior to dismissal. Wreaths will be laid on the War Memorial in church grounds following service.
- MIRFIELD – People will assemble at 1:30pm on Lowlands Road and will march at 2:00 pm via Station Road and Huddersfield Road for a service and wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial in Ings Grove Park. Following the service the procession will return to Lowlands Road for dismissal. Tea and Coffee will be served at the Fire Station, refreshments at Mirfield Constitutional Club, St Paul’s Road, and hot food at The Old Colonial, Dunbottle Lane (free of charge).
- NEW MILL - The Royal British Legion Remembrance Day Service and Parade is hosted at Christ Church New Mill War Memorial. Youngsters and their parents from the Thongsbridge Army and Air Cadets present standards at the annual act of remembrance in New Mill. Other uniformed organisations including Scouts, Cubs and Brownies also present standards and wreaths along with members of the local parish council and other local community groups. The service usually attracts a large number of people and begins at 10.30 am. It is led by the Vicar, the church choir and Hepworth band who are conducted by organist Dr Geoffrey Lockwood. Although this is almost always a large parade everyone is invited to stay for refreshments immediately following the act of remembrance at the war memorial. Warrant Officer Kevin Piccavey (RAF ATC) leads the parade.
- SLAITHWAITE – There will be a service in St James’s Parish Church at 9:45am followed by a wreath-laying service at the War Memorial at 11:00.
- SPENBOROUGH – An assembly will meet adjacent to the Town Hall at 2:15pm. The parade will march off at 2:30 to the Memorial Park to lay wreaths. The parade will then march to St John’s Church for a service at 3:00.
Wednesday 11th November
- BIRDSEDGE – At 10:30am there will be a service at the War Memorial, Penistone Road, Birdsedge.
- CLECKHEATON – There will be an Armistice Day service in Cleckheaton Memorial Park at 11:00am in which local school children will participate.
- DEWSBURY – An Act of Remembrance will take place at the Memorial on Longcausway in Dewsbury Town Centre.
- HUDDERSFIELD – People will gather at Greenhead Park lower gates at 10:30am for a procession to the War Memorial and service at 10:50.
- KIRKBURTON – At 10:45 there will be a wreath-laying service by local schools at the Cenotaph, Kirkburton.
- MIRFIELD – There will be a short service at 10:45am at Ings Grove Park.