Blessing of Union Flag for the People of Westhoughton
On Sunday 20th October, members of the Royal British Legion Westhoughton Branch gathered along with Mayor’s, Councillors, RAF Association Members and members of the public to hold a blessing for the newly purchased Union Flag.
In November 2023 on Remembrance Sunday, it was noticed that Westhoughton did not have any military standards on parade. Lindsay and Marcus Pollard, members of the RAFA Leigh Branch and Poppy Appeal Organisers for Westhoughton, decided that they would raise the funds to provide the people of Westhoughton with a Union Standard. In January 2024 they contacted the Royal British Legion and found out that the Westhoughton Branch was dormant due to a lack of committee members to run it yet it still had 14 members. They then set up a meeting with several members of the community, branch members and RBL and formed a committee, the branch have been meeting now since February 2024, the branch meets on the First Wednesday of each Month at 7pm at the Westhoughton Sports and Social Club. This meant that the Branch Standard can be used again and standard bearers have been trained up.
They then set about fundraising to buy a new Union Flag so that the people of Westhoughton could utilise this. Holding an Afternoon Tea Party at home, members of the public, RBL Branch and members of the Town Council attended and then at a further event in July at the Darren Deady Charity Football Match.
Marcus Pollard, Chairman of the RBL Branch said:
“The RBL Westhoughton are honoured to be the custodians of the Union Standard. The Standard belongs to the people of the town and we will endeavour to display it and parade it whenever we can. The town should be proud of what they have achieved. We felt it was important that the town has a symbol of which they could be proud.”
The Union Flag will be on parade at the Remembrance Sunday Service on 10th November this year alongside the Royal British Legion Westhoughton Branch Standard.
Pictured are: Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Horwich and Blackrod, alongside Westhoughton Deputy Mayor, Cllr Gillian Wroe, Rev Pharoah of St Bartholomews Church, Chair of RBL Branch Marcus Pollard and Standard Bearer Martin Eckersley.
Picture with Westhoughton Deputy Mayor, Councillor Gillian Wroe are the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Chair of Westhoughton Royal British Legion Branch Marcus Pollard and Vice Chair of the Branch and Standard Bearer Martin Eckersley.
Pictured - Members of the Royal British Legion Westhoughton Branch.
Pictured with Standard Bearer Martin Eckersley are Lindsay and Marcus Pollard, Secretary and Chair of the Royal British Legion Westhoughton Branch.