Photo gallery: Armed Forces Day

Tameside celebrated Armed Forces Day last Saturday with two events in Ashton and Denton.

Local veterans enjoyed an afternoon of fun in the sun as they joined Ashton MP Angela Rayner to celebrate Armed Forces Day.

Guests were invited to join Angela at Ashton Market for sandwiches and cakes as well as performances from singer Jo Farrow, trumpet player George Mathieson and choirs from Waterloo Primary and Rosehill Primary Schools.

The Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Leigh Drennan, and his consort Cory James also joined the celebrations as well as local councillors.

The event followed Angela’s visit to Ashton Police Station for the Armed Forces flag-raising ceremony.

There she watched eight-year-old Emily Davies from Arundale School raise the Armed Forces Day flag, an honour she won after scooping a Tameside schools badge competition entered by 600 primary pupils from seven different schools.

Emily’s badge design was also made into real badges given out at Denton Armed Forces Day on Saturday.

Emily and her mum Laura had the honour of being driven to the police station in the Force’s ‘Armed Forces’ badged police car.

 Meanwhile, veterans helped raise an Armed Forces Day flag at Tameside Hospital last Friday to mark the occasion.

The MP said: “It was wonderful to spend time with serving forces members and veterans and hear their stories and  memories.”

Meanwhile, in Denton, than 4,000 people were in Victoria Park to enjoy this year’s Armed Forces Day and soak up the sunny weather and entertainment.

Thanks to a Ministry of Defence grant it was easily the largest Tameside event in the 10 years since the Armed Forces Day was first established.

Six cadet forces were present - plus the police, army and RAF as well as 75 Regiment Royal Engineers, the 103rd Regiment Royal Artillery and the fire brigade.

Representatives from the Royal British Legion and Tameside Parachute Regimental Association were also present among many more.

There was live music in Victoria Park from Denton Brass Band, the Dave Egerton Band and singer Jo Farrow.

There was also a wide range of free family-friendly activities, including a climbing wall, archery, laser-tag, giant inflatables, free face-painting and balloon modelling, as well as arts and crafts.

Refreshments were also available throughout the afternoon from Victoria Park Community Centre.

Ashton

Denton