Remembrance Sunday services, parades and road closures
Wirral will fall silent this Remembrance Sunday as residents gather to honour the fallen and pay tribute to all those who have served at events taking place across the borough on Sunday 8 November.
The Mayor of Wirral, Councillor Mary Jordan, will lead the Civic Service, which starts at 10.55am at the Cenotaph in Hamilton Square, Birkenhead.
A two-minute silence will be observed at 11am, followed by a traditional Service of Remembrance, taken by Reverend Paul Bentley, Vicar of Birkenhead Priory Parish, Rural Dean of Birkenhead.
Readings and Blessings will also be given by Reverend Debbie Wilkinson, Wirral Waters Mission Lead, Reverend Sandra Fletcher, Curate, Birkenhead Priory Parish, and Reverend Greg Epton Lead Pastor of Gateway Church Wirral.
The Mayor will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf of the people of Wirral, alongside Deputy Lieutenant, Sue Higginson OBE DL, who will do so on behalf of His Majesty The King. They will be followed by representatives of Wirral Council, armed forces, other organisations and the relatives of servicemen lost in recent conflicts.
At the end of the service the Mayor and Deputy Lieutenant will take the salute at a march past led by 234 (Wirral) Royal Logistic Corps (Army Reserve).
After the parade has left Hamilton Square members of the public will have an opportunity to place their own tributes on the Cenotaph.
Remembrance Sunday is a chance for us to come together as a community to remember the men and women who served, sacrificed and, in so many cases, gave their lives for others.
It is a time to pause, reflect, and show our gratitude for all those who helped protect the freedoms we enjoy today. As the years pass it is important that we continue to honour the sacrifices and stories of those who have gone before us, and to make sure we pass them on to future generations.
I know that remembrance means something different to each of us. For some it is about honouring a relative or loved one, for others it is about supporting today's service personnel and veterans. I, like many others, will take a moment to remember local war hero and community champion John Dennett MBE, whose passing earlier this year was felt across the borough and beyond. As one of the last surviving D-Day veterans, his lifelong commitment to remembrance is something that should inspire us all.
However you choose to mark the occasion, I would encourage everyone to pause at 11am to remember those who served and the many that never came home.
Remembrance Sunday services in Wirral will take place at:
Bebington
The Act of Remembrance commences at 10.40am at the war memorial, followed by a church service at St Andrew’s Church at 11.10am.
Bidston
10.15am at St. Oswald’s Church followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial.
Birkenhead
10.55am at The Cenotaph in Hamilton Square for the Civic Service.
Bromborough
10.15am at St. Barnabas Church followed by the Act of Remembrance and wreath laying at the war memorial at 11.00am.
Eastham
The parade will begin at 9:30am from Torr Park and arrive at St Mary’s Church for the service at 10am. Following the service, the Act of Remembrance will take place at the War Memorial from 10:45am to 11:15am. This will include the sounding of the Last Post, the laying of wreaths, and the official march past before the parade returns to Torr Park and concludes.
Heswall
10:45am Veterans will gather at Heswall War memorial. Act of remembrance at 11:00am with last post. Parade starts 11:45am from Heswall War Memorial, and wreath laying at the War Memorial and Garden of Remembrance at at Heswall Royal British Legion. There is a separate Centenary parade church service starting at 10:45am at St Peter’s Church Heswall.
Moreton
10.15am for a short Service at Moreton Methodist Church followed by Service at The Cenotaph, corner of Maryland Lane and Pasture Road, at 10.45am.
Port Sunlight
Parade starts outside Church Drive School at 10.30am, marching to Service at the War Memorial from 10.45am, followed by a service at Christ Church at 11.15am.
Prenton
10.00am Service at St Stephen’s Church, continuing at the War Memorial at the junction of Osmaston Road and Prenton Lane at 10.45am.
Thornton Hough
2.20pm to gather at Smithy Hill for march to the War Memorial for an outdoor service at 2.45pm, continuing at All Saints Church on Raby Road.
Upton Village
10.45am Parade and Service at Upton Library War Memorial.
Wallasey
10.20am. Veterans, cadet forces and other services will meet at the bottom of Hertford Drive, New Brighton, CH45 7PU. The march to the War Memorial on Magazines Promenade will step-off at 10.35 am.
West Kirby
10.30am at Grange Hill (for a 10.45am start). Service at Grange Hill, West Kirby followed by parade to the Concourse for salute and laying of the 149th Royal Horse Artillery 'Hoylake Horse' wreath.
Road Closures
A number of road closures will be in place on Sunday (8 November) to enable the safe operation of Remembrance Sunday parades and services.
Residents planning to attend the commemorations or wishing to travel in the affected areas are urged to look at the planned closures in advance and to allow extra time and find an alternative route to avoid any unnecessary delays to their journey.
To allow the road closures to be safely put in place before each event starts, and then removed once they've finished, traffic management arrangements are set from 9.00am until 5.00pm. However, efforts will be made to remove all of the road closures as soon as safely possible when the events are over to minimise the length of time areas will be closed.
The areas affected by road closures are:
Bebington – The Wiend will be closed, and traffic controls will be in place on Church Road either side of the war memorial. Alternative route for traffic is via Church Road, Bromborough Road and vice versa.
Birkenhead – Hamilton Square closed to vehicles at Argyle Street, plus parts of Hamilton Street, Brandon Street and Mortimer Street. The alternative route for traffic is via Argyle Street and John Street and vice versa.
Eastham Village – Eastham Village Road from the junction with Parsons Close to the war memorial, closed. Ferry Road, from the Hooton Arms to the scout hut, closed. Stanley Lane and Eastham Village Road closed at the war memorial. While the roads are closed, there will be no route through Eastham Village. Alternative route for traffic is via Torr Drive, A41 New Chester Road, Eastham Village Road and Church Lane and vice versa
Heswall – Telegraph Road, between Rocky Lane and the junction with Tesco, closed. The Mount from Telegraph Road, Dee View Road from Delavor Road and Pensby Road, from Telegraph Road to the entrance to the Royal British Legion, closed. Alternative routes for traffic are: Via Poll Hill Road, Pensby Road, Gorsehill Road and Downham Road South and Vice Versa. Via Thurstaston Road, Village Road, Wallrake, Dawstone Road and Rocky Lane and vice versa.
Moreton – road closure Maryland Lane from the junction with Barnston Lane and Pasture Road. Diversion via Pasture Road, Hoylake Road and Digg Lane.
Port Sunlight – both sides of The Causeway, from the war memorial to Church Drive, closed. Church Drive closed from both junctions with The Causeway. Alternative route for traffic is via Bolton Road, Corniche Road, Walker Street, King Edward’s Drive and vice versa.
Prenton – Prenton Lane between Osmaston Road and St Stephen's Road.
Thornton Hough – Thornton Common Road at the junction with Church Road and Neston Road at junction with Smithy Hill, closed. Manor Road, between its junction with Smithy Hill and Church Road and St George’s Way, closed. While the roads are closed, there will be no route through Thornton Hough Village. Alternative route for traffic is via B5151 Willaston Road, Raby Mere Road, Upper Raby Road, A540 Chester High Road, B5136 Liverpool Road, B5136 Neston Road and vice versa.
Upton - Ford Road near Ford Drive, Ford Drive and the start of Grafton Drive. Diversion via Upton Road and Salacre Lane.
Wallasey (New Brighton) – Magazine Lane, from the junction with Magazine Brow towards Magazines Promenade, closed. Magazines Promenade, between Magazine Lane and just beyond the war memorial, closed.
West Kirby – Grange Old Road and Grange Road (from its junction with Acacia Grove (opposite West Kirby Concourse) to the junction with Monks Way, closed. Alternative route for traffic via A540 Column Road, Village Road, Banks Road, Sandy Lane & Dee Lane and vice versa.
