Publish date: 10 November 2022
On 5 November, the former war hospital in Whalley hosted the Royal British Legion for a formal service of remembrance and parade. This year’s was especially poignant as it will be the last from Mersey Care who acquired the site from the old Calderstones Trust in 2016, and continued a tradition going back to the end of the First World War.
The Mayor of Ribble Valley laid the first poppy wreath and Executive Director, Elaine Darbyshire laid one on behalf of the Trust. A number of Whalley’s service users took part in the parade which was accompanied by music from the Lostock Hall Memorial Band. The service was facilitated by the Vicar of Whalley and our chaplain, Rev Karen Jobson, along with Julia Musker, Steph Philipps and colleagues past and present in attendance.
The Country Representative of the Royal British Legion thanked Mersey Care for supporting the parade for more than a century. A certificate of recognition was presented to Sharon Phipps, Site Manager, who together with her facilities team, organised the event, and to John Rowbotham, Communications Manager, for his role in the day.