Formby falls silent to remember those who lost their lives

THE COMMUNITY of Formby fell silent this weekend to remember those who lost their lives during the First World War. The Remembrance Sunday parade marched through our Bubble led by the Marshside band who led the parade through Formby village from Whitehouse Lane at 2:40pm and then onto Rosemary Lane where a service took place at Holy Trinity church at 3pm. Crowds gathered to hear the Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Stephen Kermode present the service.

The parade then marched back through the village for the Mayor's salute at the war memorial on Chapel Lane before attending a reception at Holy Trinity parish hall.

Formby's Royal British Legion, army cadets, air cadets and scouts also took part. The Mayor and Mayoress of Sefton, Cllr Stephen Kermode and Mayoress Gwen Kermode gave the salute.

A selection of poppy wreaths were placed at the base of the memorial by the Mayor of Sefton, Formby Parish Council and Sefton Council. Formby Royal British Legion are also encouraging residents to lay a wooden cross at the Garden of Remembrance on Wednesday November 11th - Service at 10:55am.

Don Morgan, president of Formby's RBL, took the opportunity to scotch rumours that the organisation was about to close. He said: "It was a successful day, despite the weather.

"And I would like to take this opportunity to say that despite the closure of our former headquarters on Whitehouse Lane, we are still going strong. Formby's RBL remain committed to caring for serving and former servicemen in Formby, and we are not going away. We are currently looking for a new home, in the Formby area. And this was certainly not our last march through the village."

The video of the Remembrance Sunday Parade and the Mayor's salute

The Remembrance Day parade through Formby Village

Remembrance Day services also took place in Southport, Aintree, Ainsdale, Crosby, Hightown, Ince Blundell, Litherland, Maghull, and Waterloo. These were attended by the Mayor of Sefton, councillors and council officers.

Cllr Kermode, attended the morning service at the War Memorial, King's Gardens, Bootle at 10.55am and an afternoon service at Holy Trinity Church, Formby at 3pm.

He said: "These services are very important as we remember those who lost their lives in conflict past and present.

"They give us a chance for us all to remember how we owe a huge debt to every single one of them for the peace and freedom we currently enjoy today."

"I hope as many people as possible attend, and spend some time to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women."

Cllr Bobby Brennan, Sefton Council's Armed Forces champion, added: "As the country falls silent to remember the fallen, we remember also those disabled service personnel and their families whose lives were so cruelly changed by conflict, and keeping in our hearts and minds all our serving personnel."

On WEDNESDAY 11th November at 10:55hrs there will be a short Act of Remembrance and a two minutes silence at 11-00hrs, at the Formby War Memorial followed by the laying of crosses, Later at 11:30 hrs there will a short ceremony in Our Lady`s Formby, Graveyard, laying crosses on the Polish War Graves.

Our garden of Remembrance Crosses situated at the War Memorial, Formby Village will be open from the 1st November for the public to lay a cross in remembrance of relations and loved ones lost, Crosses can be obtained from Formby Hardware Store for a small donation to our Poppy Appeal.

Reg Yorke, from Formby’s Civic Society said: “Formby’s war memorial situated within its own tended garden, has a lot more history to it than most people are aware of. ”In 1975 Sefton District Council together with developers intended to move it away and remove the garden as part of a redevelopment scheme for a two tier car park to accommodate 315 cars. “Opposition to this was first voiced by councillor Eric Storey and local artist Lillian Rushton who took on a battle with the developers and organised a 5000 signature petition for the war memorial to be saved. ”The council then complied an order made by the Charity Commissioners preserving the status of the site so that is can never be used for another purpose without consent of the commission. “After a two year battle the site was recognised as a charitable trust and thus the memorial and its garden were saved for posterity on its prominent site.”