A concert by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment band at Chorley Town Hall last Friday raised over £1,800 for the Chorley Remembers project.
Presentation by Lindsay Hoyle MP to Bandmaster Craig Philbin
Trustees of the Chorley Pals Memorial, who devised and run the project, have to raise some £20,000 as matched funding, following their recent award of £270,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The money raised will go towards placing the names of the fallen from the town on the War Memorial in Astley Park.
With the money from the concert, and a recent award from the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund, the appeal fund has topped the £6,000 mark.
In the audience were relatives of the Bandmaster, Craig Philbin, who live in Euxton.
However, the concert nearly didn’t go ahead, as almost all the band’s uniforms were left at Gibraltar airport. Only swift intervention by Chorley Councillor Peter Wilson from Lindsay Hoyle’s office ensured they were put on a flight to Manchester – with the uniforms eventually arriving in Chorley with a couple of hours to spare.
Commenting on the evening, which included performances by the Regiment’s Corps of Drums, the Chorley Remembers Chairman and town’s Member of Parliament, Lindsay Hoyle, said “We had a marvellous night and those who came heard a brilliant performance by one of the British Army’s top bands. We look forward to them paying a return visit to Chorley”.
He went on to thank everyone for their support and the event sponsors, which included the Gibraltar Tourist Board and the Royal Bank of Scotland, as well as local companies the Chorley Building Society, Pincroft Dyeing & Printing Co. Ltd., Kevills Solicitors and MBDA Missile Systems.
After departing Lancashire on Saturday morning, the band travelled south to play at the Gibraltar Day celebrations in the City of London.
