Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, spoke today of his immense pride in the Borough after a weekend of events which saw the opening of the new Town Square in Accrington on 10th November and taking part in ‘Battle’s Over, a Nation’s Tribute’ on 11th November, along with a host of other events around the Borough commemorating the centenary of the end of World War One.
Cllr Parkinson said; “What a marvellous weekend it’s been for Hyndburn. “I’ve been absolutely blown away with our centenary commemoration events and with the massive response to them from our residents and visitors. From the dedication of the new Town Square in Accrington, to the Accrington Pals and all the fallen of the Borough in the Great War and our part in ‘Battles Over- a Nation’s Tribute’, along with all the Remembrance services and parades around the Borough, which were all extremely well attended despite the showery weather. The word proud has been on everyone’s lips and if you saw the events, I’m sure you’ve been saying it too. I’m so proud and so thankful to so many people for all their hard work in staging the events and to the thousands who came along to show their support.”
The Accrington Pals Centenary Commemorations Group, made up of members of the community including Pals experts; historians; local craftspeople; people involved in drama; local voluntary groups and the Council, came together to create events to commemorate this momentous time in the Borough’s history and I want to say a huge thank you to them and all the many groups, individuals and organisations who have worked so hard to showcase Accrington and Hyndburn and demonstrate our pride in its past, present and future.
We had thousands attending all the events and I’m so proud of all the voluntary groups, organisations, our own staff and volunteers and the many individuals who’ve worked long and hard in the preparation and who worked throughout the weekend to deliver such an intensely moving and poignant series of events, culminating in the spectacular 3D projection onto the Market Hall façade. There are too many people to name here but I’ll be writing to everyone to say a personal thanks.”
Cllr Parkinson, concluded; “This was a big weekend for Accrington. There was so much going on, including a free reading by Julie Hesmondhalgh, Elianne Byrne and all the other fabulous actors of the Accrington Pals Play, who delivered such a fitting tribute to the Pals in the building the Pals marched past on their way to war over one hundred years ago. Also the spectacular one-off 3D projection onto the Market Hall facade, featuring local people, on Sunday 11th November, which was absolutely breath-taking. We also featured on BBC news who covered London, Cardiff, Belfast, Dublin, Ypres, Paris, and ACCRINGTON also Granada and Radio Lancashire, showing the country Accrington’s pride in our past, present and future, thank you to everyone involved – you are amazing.
