Council Calls For Show Of Support For 'Our Heroes'

Cheshire East Council is calling on people to show their support for our servicemen and women on Armed Forces Day this Saturday.


It follows news of the death of the 300th member of the British armed forces as a result of operations in Afghanistan.


Armed Forces Day (Saturday, June 26) is an annual opportunity for the people of East Cheshire and the nation as a whole to show their support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community – from serving troops to Service families and from veterans to cadets.


Cheshire East Mayor Gordon Baxendale said: "Your support for the Armed Forces provides a much-valued morale boost for the troops and their families.


"It is particularly important at this time, with our servicemen and women risking their lives and suffering great hardships on the frontline in Afghanistan.


"I would urge everyone to back our troops, show your support and get behind those schemes which demonstrate to these men and women, in a practical way, how much we value the vital and dangerous work they are doing on our behalf."


Cllr Baxendale has named ABF The Soldiers’ Charity as one of the organisations he is fundraising for during his tenure as mayor.


Ceremonies of commemoration to mark Armed Forces Day are being held across the whole of East Cheshire. These include:


● Crewe Municipal Square, 11am on Saturday (June 26) – Mayor Baxendale will raise the flag with members of the Royal British Legion (RBL);


● Macclesfield Town Hall, 7pm on Saturday (June 26) – Veterans' Day Concert featuring Poynton RBL Band (tickets £6);


● Sandbach Parade, 9.15am on Sunday (June 27) – Led by Mayor Baxendale, from Cheshire East Council offices at Westfields to the War Memorial, followed by wreath laying and a service at Sandbach Parish Church (St Mary's) at 10am.


Armed Forces Day flags will be flying at Macclesfield Town Hall, Cheshire East Council's offices at Westfields in Sandbach, Congleton Town Hall, Delamere House (Crewe) and Crewe Municipal Square


1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) are currently on a six-month deployment to the frontline of the war against the Taliban in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.


'The Cheshires' have suffered five fatalities during their tour of duty so far. They are:

Lance Corporal Andrew Breeze, 31; Private Jonathan Monk, 25; Corporal Terry Webster, 24; Lance Corporal Alan Cochran, 23, and Corporal Harvey Alex Holmes, 22.


The 300th victim, announced on Monday of last week, was a Royal Marine who died as a result of wounds received in Helmand earlier this month.


Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to him and all those who have died in the conflict in Afghanistan.


This year, the national ceremony to mark Armed Forces Day is being held in Cardiff.