Penkridge war memorial in facelift for anniversary

A ceremony to re-dedicate the memorial in Penkridge will also be held as part of the commemoration events.

The parish council has agreed to fund the repair and refurbishment of the war memorial, and work, costing £4,500, will start in April.

Residents have been calling for work on the memorial for years, saying it has become dirty and damaged.

The Penkridge branch of The Royal British Legion, along with the parish council and St Michael and All Angels Church will re-dedicate the memorial on August 3 at 2pm.

There will be a parade before the service and a band concert at the Haling Dene Centre afterwards.

August 4 marks the 100th anniversary of the day Britain entered the First World War.

Branch secretary Graham Collings said members were pleased the work would be carried out.

He said: "We have been planning this for a couple of years and we thought this year would be ideal as it coincides with the anniversary of the start of the war." Fundraiser Alison Bates said: "Nearly everyone in the UK has an ancestor directly affected by the First World War and all of us live with its effects today. The losses were felt in nearly every UK town and village as more than 1.1 million lives were sacrificed by men and women in service of the British Empire. The Royal British Legion was founded by British veterans in the aftermath of the First World War and will be at the forefront of centenary commemorations.

"As we come together in remembrance of events a century ago, we are reminded of the important welfare work the legion continues to provide today and will need to provide in the future."

The work on the memorial is expected to last for about two weeks. Some of the engraving will be tidied up, and three flower-holders at the front will also be replaced.

Parish councillors say they hope to preserve the memorial for future generations amid fears it would fall into disrepair.

The cash has come from funding that the parish council can allocate each year for community projects and events.

The memorial is a centrepiece of the remembrance events each year in Penkridge, with scores of families turning out to pay their respects.

Last year the annual parade in Penkridge began in Market Place.

A church service took place at St Michael and All Angels Church following a ceremony held at the war memorial.

War memorials across the West Midlands have been repaired in recent months

The Able Seaman Douglas Morris Harris memorial, which stands in St Peter's Gardens in Wolverhampton city centre, has been repaired, cleaned and rewaxed.

And a public square and seating area will be built around the cenotaph in Bilston to mark 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War.

A group of volunteers are launching a campaign to raise £70,000 funding.

Events are being planned across the region to mark the anniversary, with ceremonies, flag raising events and services taking place. For more details on the event in August call 01785 713482.