Anniversary of D Day to be remembered in event in Lancashire

Known as D Day, the official D Day 80 commemorations involving world leaders are being arranged to take place throughout the UK and France to acknowledge this significant and meaningful occasion.

The D Day 80 commemoration for the Ribble Valley will take place on Sunday afternoon 2nd June.

Clive Greenwood, producer of the event, commented, “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to put together the D Day 80 commemoration for the Ribble Valley. D Day 1944 was not just another historic date. Many thousands of civilians and members of the armed forces sacrificed so much to secure the peace, freedom and democracy that all generations have today, and which can sometimes be taken for granted. It is only fitting that we pay tribute to all those people and recognise what they achieved for us.”

The preparation and planning of D Day began a year before it was to take place in 1944. The allies conducted substantial military deception to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The intrigue was fascinating and the application was intuitive. Technology took a major step forward with many new developments and production of military weapons and equipment expanded. Extensive training and rehearsals with vehicles and equipment took place in realistic conditions. People accepted hardships including the members of many organisations in Britain that kept the home fires burning.

Preparation and planning of the D Day commemoration for the Ribble Valley has also taken many months by the Ribble Valley Music Festival. This has involved sourcing and working closely with artists and with the venue, and intensive research into information to put together an authentic programme of intriguing information, stories of bravery, staggering statistics, and selected music content which relates to each sequence.

This significant event in history is known as D Day but it was more than one day and the Ribble Valley event will cover the many ingenious developments that went into preparation to make the D Day operation successful, and the events that followed.

The Ribble Valley event will feature a modern re-telling of this turning point in history with narration by legendary BBC broadcaster John Gillmore. Local people who took part will be telling their stories. It will all be supported by original film on the big screen and video created especially for the event which will provide an added dimension to the narrative and to the carefully selected music performed by the uniformed Band of the Cheshire Constabulary with sequences by the Corps of Drums.

This special 80 D Day commemorations for the Ribble Valley takes place on Sunday afternoon 2nd June at the Old School Rooms on Lowergate in Clitheroe.

Bookings of £10 per person can be made by calling 01254 384893 or email [email protected] There will be a pay bar and raffle. All surplus proceeds will be donated to St Michael and St John’s Church.