Ordsall War Memorial Comes Home This Weekend

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Ordsall War Memorial

Ordsall War Memorial Comes Home This Weekend

Veterans with links to the Ordsall estate and their families are being invited to a ceremony commemorating the centenary of the First World War, and the vital role played by Salford residents.

The highlight of the event, which takes place this Saturday, will be a rededication of the Regent Park Memorial which was first erected in 1918.

Following a spate of vandalism in the 1970s the sandstone sculpture was taken away from the park for safekeeping. However, community consultation held earlier this year showed a strong desire for the memorial to return to its original home in time for the centenary.

Now, with the financial backing of local organisations and businesses the sculpture has been carefully renovated by Salford-based Burnaby Stonecare and returned to Regent Square Park in a specially designed, landscaped setting.

An engraved plaque will also be unveiled honouring all the men from Ordsall and surrounding areas who lost their lives in conflict.

Saturday’s event will commence with members of the Royal British Legion handing over custodianship of the memorial to the New Barracks Tenant Management Co-operative. A service to formally rededicate the memorial will then be led by Reverend Sandra Kearney, followed by a reading of the memorial inscription by Salford’s Ceremonial Mayor.

The service will culminate with a bugler calling the Last Post and local schoolchildren being invited to lay wreaths at the foot of the sculpture. After the service a number of stalls will be opened by the Royal British Legion and the Imperial War Museum North, allowing visitors to purchase commemorative poppies and learn more about the history of war.

Organisations include Salford City Council, Salix Homes, the New Barracks Tenant Management Co-operative & local developer LPC Living have collectively donated in excess of £12,000 to fund the works.

Councillor Ray Mashiter said “In this centenary year of the outbreak of war it’s only right that we pause to reflect on the sacrifice made by more than 200 local men for their country. We would, therefore, encourage any families touched by conflict to come to the rededication event in order to pay their respects”.

Scott Neal, from LPC Living, said: “Supporting communities is firmly entrenched in the core values of both LPC Living and the Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust, whether that is through investment in wide-ranging urban regeneration projects or supporting important community initiatives such as this. That so many residents and organisations have supported the bid to relocate the memorial only goes to demonstrate the strong Salford spirit of communities working together”.

The event takes place this Saturday 20 September from 12.45pm with the rededication ceremony commencing at 1.00pm. Refreshments will be provided with all donations going towards the Royal British Legion.

© Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust & LPC1 Ltd. 2014. All rights reserved.

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