VIDEO: TWENTY-Three years on from the IRA bomb attack on Warrington, peace campaigner Colin Parry is confident the pioneering work of the town’s Peace centre will carry on for many more years to come.
Speaking at a special service marking the 23rd anniversary of the Bridge Street bombing which claimed the lives of his son Tim, aged 12 and three-year-old Johnathan Ball, Mr Parry says the financial security of the Peace Centre, created as a living memorial to the two boys, are as “secure as they have ever been.”
“We have funding in place for around nine months whereas in the past we have been down to just three months. I would like us to have more but we can’t complain as we have consistent support from the government and other organisations,” he added.
The service of remembrance and celebration was led by the Rev Stephen Kingsnorth, who has himself been a leading light in the peace and reconciliation work of the town since that fateful day on March 20 1993, which claimed the lives of the two boys and injured many more shoppers when two bombs, placed in litter bins exploded.
This was his last service prior to retiring in June. Reflecting on all the good work that had taken place over the years, Rev Kingsnorth said his overwhelming memory, would be the way the whole community had responded to the atrocity.
During the service, flowers were placed under the memorial plaque to Tim and Jonathan, and water was taken from the River of Life, by the Parry’s grand children, to water a peace tree at the Peace Centre.
Others attending the service, included Harriet Vickers, whose mother Bronwen was injured in the bombing and later died. Harriet was just a baby at the time and was with her mother on Bridge Street at the time of the bombing. She now works at the Peace Centre.
Rev Kingsnorth conducts his final service on the 23rd anniversary of the Warrington bombing
Floral tributes
The Parry’s grand children collecting water from the River of Life with Harriet Vickers
Foundation fro Peace CEO Nick Taylor with Colin Parry at the Bridge Street memorial
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@peacecentre work set to continue for many more years to come @ColinParryPeace #Warrington https://t.co/IN18KGnHgY pic.twitter.com/kMtT2c68GO
— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) March 20, 2016
@GarySkent @warringtonworld Very sad day for Warrington, remember it well, two very young lives https://t.co/S6TuKdvyEi Tim & Jonathanxx
— Susan Boult (@BoultSusan) March 20, 2016
Our work continues every day https://t.co/86gFP1Bsur
— Nick Taylor (@Nick4P) March 20, 2016
Remembering all those affected by the Warrington Bombing 23 years ago today 😔 RIP Tim & Johnathan and special thoughts to their families ❤️
— Gary Skentelbery (@GarySkent) March 20, 2016
23 years ago today, two young blonde haired boys were ‘casualties’ of a conflict that their lives and deaths helped bring to an end. Amen X
— Colin Parry OBE (@ColinParryPeace) March 20, 2016
Still very sad memories https://t.co/a3o738pNkp
— Alan Boden (@30058alan) March 20, 2016
23 years today since the Warrington bombings, hope we never see such inhuman actions again. RIP boy’s pic.twitter.com/YXh50ldVzg
— Jim Mills (@millsjim44) March 20, 2016
2 Comments
A day I will never ever forget – incredible how much good work has come out of such an evil event. Thinking of you Colin, Wendy Dom and Abbi Parry and everyone else affected by that dark day in our town’s history. RIP Tim, Johnathan xx
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