Category: News Archive

Back in October, I stepped into the full-time role of Project Manager with the Chorley Remembers heritage project, after the previous incumbent resigned without notice.

I was already working part-time on the marketing & administration, as well as managing the delivery of the war memorial element of the project.

I was proud to see the new memorial unveiled in Astley Park in Chorley on Remembrance Day – it not now holds the names of 738 men from the town who died in the First World War, the Second World War, Korea, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, the Falklands conflict and more recently, Afghanistan.

After the Christmas break, I will be overseeing a new and permanent ‘Remembrance Experience’ to go in the Coach House at Astley Hall, courtesy of some £78,000 worth of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The exhibition is scheduled to open at Easter, whilst the project overall is due to be completed by the end of August.

You can follow progress on www.chorleyremembers.org.uk.

I recently joined The Western Front Association (WFA).

It was formed in 1980 with the aim of furthering interest in The Great War and to perpetuate the memory, courage and comradeship of all those who served their countries during the war.

The Association does not seek to justify or glorify war, nor is it a re-enactment society.

They are not commercially motivated and are entirely non-political, focucssing on educating the public in the history of The Great War, with particular reference to the Western Front (from the Belgium coast down to the Swiss border).

The WFA has grown over the years to some 6,000 members worldwide, with three branches covering Lancashire. Further details can be found at www.westernfrontassociation.com.

I am also a member of the British Association for Local History (BALH) and the national Community Archives and Heritage Group.

I will be presenting a series of talks between July and December at libraries in the Chorley and Leyland area for Chorley Remembers, in partnership with the Lancashire County Council Library Service (Community History Section) .

The talks are free, courtesy of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, but entry is by ticket only, obtainable in advance from the respective library or by using the contact form on the Chorley Remembers website.

Each illustrated talk is about an hour long and will cover topics of a local interest, ranging from the history of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Euxton from 1937 to 2007 to local men who fought and died in the First and Second World Wars – the battlefields they fought on (from the Somme to Normandy) and, in the case of the Christmas talk, their experiences in the trenches during the ‘festive’ period of The Great War.

All of the talks will be presented myself, in my capacity as Secretary of the Chorley Pals Memorial and Admin & Marketing Officer of the Chorley Remembers project.

The full list is as follows…

• Monday, 16th July at ECCLESTON Library starting at 6.00 p.m. – “Battlefields & Poppyfields”
• Wednesday, 18th July at EUXTON Library starting at 11.00 a.m. – “ROF Chorley”
• Monday, 23rd July at CHORLEY Library starting at 6.00 p.m. – “Pals, Terriers & Tommies”
• Monday, 3rd September at ECCLESTON Library starting at 6.00 p.m. – “Pals, Terriers & Tommies”
• Wednesday, 5th September at LEYLAND Library starting at 2.00 p.m. – “ROF Chorley”
• Friday, 7th September at CHORLEY Library starting at 6.00 p.m. – “ROF Chorley”
• Monday, 1st October at ADLINGTON Library starting at 7.00 p.m. – “Pals, Terriers & Tommies”
• Monday, 29th October at CLAYTON GREEN Library starting at 7.30 p.m. – “ROF Chorley”
• Monday, 26th November at ADLINGTON Library starting at 7.00 p.m. – “All over by Christmas”
• Wednesday, 5th December at EUXTON Library starting at 11.00 a.m. – “All over by Christmas”

A talk at Coppull Library is also planned for November (more details once the new Branch Manager is appointed).

To get your free tickets, visit the Chorley Remembers website.

I have recently been appointed Marketing & Admin Officer for the Chorley Remembers project based in Chorley, Lancashire.

The role is part-time and flexible hours, enabling me to carry on offering talks during the day; my contract is until the end of December 2012 and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

For details visit www.chorleyremembers.org.uk.

I have added a number of new talks for 2012 –“Beguiling Belgium”, “Lancashire footballing greats” and “All over by Christmas”.

The latter covers the experiences in the trenches at Christmas time in WW1 and perhaps would be an ideal talk for December 2012.

Full details of all of my talks are on the Talks page.

The Friends of Alston Hall have booked me for their social evening on Thursday, 16th February 2012; I am doing my talk “Lakeland Lines”, about the railways in the Lake District.

I have two talks / presentations in the Spring / Summer programme for the Lancashire County Council run Adult College based at Alston Hall in Longridge, near Preston…

• On Sunday, 17th June I will present a dinner talk at 7.30 p.m. with my “Lancashire footballing greats” presentation.
• On Thursday, 5th July I am presenting a day all about the Battle of the Somme in 1916; it will include four illustrated talks / presentations and lunch is included.

For details of Alston Hall, visit www.alstonhall.com.

Most of my talks are given to closed groups but my diary page highlights those that welcome guests or visitors.

Visit my diary page for an up-dated list for 2012.

My brochure for 2012-13 is now available here:

• Steve Williams Talks Brochure 2012-13

Tickets for an illustrated talk by myself are now on sale.

The talk, entitled ‘Pals, Terriers & Tommies’ features a few of the many men from the town who fought in the First World War, and is in aid of the Chorley Remembers Cenotaph Appeal.

It will be held at Brindle Community Hall, near Chorley on Friday, 22nd July. Tickets are just £5.00, with all proceeds going to the appeal.

The talk starts at 8.00 p.m. with the bar open from 7.00 p.m., whilst light refreshments will also be on sale. With a raffle and auction on the night, it is hoped that the event will raise over £600.

Tickets can be obtained from any branch of Chorley Building Society or to order your tickets, download the form below.

• Chorley Remembers Flyer June 2011

In my capacity as Chorley Pals Memorial Secretary & Co-Founder, I’ll be taking to the towpath of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal to raise funds for the Chorley Remembers project.

I plan to walk from the Chorley Pals Memorial on the Flat Iron in Chorley along the canal to Accrington – some 15 miles away.

The Chorley Pals were one quarter of the Accrington Pals Battalion during the First World War and and I see it as an appropriate walk to make.

Starting at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, 14th August the walk should take me about six hours and I hope to raise over £1,000 in sponsorship.

To sponsor me, download a sponsorship form below.

• Chorley Remembers Flyer June 2011