The Last Post

Tuesday saw the culmination of many months work with the hosting of our ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ event. 

The commemorative garden at our Central Offices

Back in 2014, the charity acknowledged 100 years since the start of World War One with a poppy display outside its Central Offices in Cheadle, created by service users who also took part in a WW1 performance. Alongside this, it researched its roll of honour and started to identify those who worked for, or were in the care of, the Manchester Refuges and went on to fight in the war.

Four years later the charity has come together again to honour those who fought and died in the war. A plaque has been commissioned to create a permanent memorial at the charity’s headquarters. This was unveiled as part of a special memorial service and attended by staff members, young people, the local community and members of the armed forces. The plaque was surrounded by silhouettes, which had been funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. Handmade ceramic red poppies, created by staff and pupils from Ashcroft School, surrounded the memorial.

Poppy display outside Together Trust offices, Cheadle

The sun shone down on the service, which was conducted by the Rector of St. Mary’s Church in Cheadle. The names of all of those commemorated on the plaque were read out by the charity’s Chief Executive, before the Last Post sounded out signalling the start of a two minute silence. 

A film, created in 2014 by pupils at the charity’s education establishments, followed the service. After, attendees were free to wander the displays created by the charity and pupils from Ashcroft School. Two cabinets exhibited artefacts from World War One. These included a whole range of memorabilia, notably items from the battlefields, medals and regiment badges, maps and officer equipment such a binocular, periscope, watch and whistle. 

Part of the exhibition case display

For many, some of the most interesting items, included a de-actioned bolt action Lee Enfield SMLE rifle from 1916 and an original 1907 Pattern Hooked Quillion Bayonet, which had been produced for the British Army between 1901-1910. Coincidently this bayonet was marked with the regiment stamp for the 3rd Highland Light Infantry which was the battalion joined by Brian Crossley. Could it have once been handled by him? It all brings history to life.