Warrington’s Temple peace mission

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ALMOST twenty-two years on from the Warrington bombing a small delegation travelled to Derry~Londonderry to deliver a symbol of peace and reconciliation as part of a major arts event in the city – involving the creation of a special Temple.
Built on a hill overlooking the city the Temple is no ordinary building and was created as part of a radical arts project by creative producers Artichoke with world renowned ‘Burning Man’ artist David Best from California.
Together with people from across the local community, the beautiful structure was built to soar up high before being ceremonially burnt.
The build and the burn aims to bring lifelong memories for the City so often at the heart of the troubles in Ireland, including the Sunday Bloody Sunday atrocity.

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The building and the burn coincided with the twenty second anniversary of the Warrington bombing.
The Warrington delegation took a symbol of peace to place inside the structure and to represent a collective desire for peace.
The delegation consisted of Nick Taylor, Chief Executive of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace; Ann Bartholomew – Nick’s partner making her first visit to Northern Ireland and long-term supporter of the Peace Centre; Harriet Vickers – youngest survivor of the Warrington bombing aged 13 days.
Harriet’s mother,Bronwen Vickers, was seriously injured and lost her leg while in remission from cancer. The trauma reversed that and she lost her life over a year later. Harriet now works for the Peace Centre; Revd Stephen Kingsnorth – Borough Minister and leader of the Warrington faith community; Gary Skentelbery – journalist and magazine publisher (Warrington Worldwide), director of Warrington Town FC who play the annual Peace Cup with Crewe United and a Patron of the Foundation for Peace.
The symbol combined two elements of life – water and earth. The earth represented by a frame made of branch cuttings taken from the Peace Tree at Warrington Peace Centre.
The tree was planted at the tenth anniversary of the Warrington bombing and every year on the anniversary day, water is brought from the River of Life memorial to the tree to coincide with the beginning of Spring and as the tree buds reflecting renewed hopes.
In the frame was a picture of the Centre, set up in memory of the boys, Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball, killed by the IRA bomb attack on Warrington.
Foundation for Peace Chief Executive Nick Taylor explained: “Water from the River of Life was taken to Temple and mixed with water from Northern Ireland to symbolise how at our basic elements we are all as one of the same. These two symbols of hope and life – water and earth were left in the Temple and then air and fire, the other two elements, will be added at the burn to create a symbolic desire for peace on our islands and beyond.”
He added: “The artists hope that the vision of Temple is that the combined experience of all inputs to the Temple, and the thousands of hours that local volunteers put into building it, creates a moving space for thought, reflection and contemplation.
“Our visit and peace symbols of earth, water, fire and air, will be a part of that.”
After visiting the Temple the delegation travelled on to Lisburn where they were welcomed by Mayor Andrew Ewing, along with representatives from Crewe United FC,the first group to visit Warrington offering the hand of peace in the wake of the Warrington boming.
The team competes with Warrington Town each year for the Peace Cup, set to take place this year in Lisburn on the weekend of August 1.
The council and Crewe United were presented with special commemorative shirts from Warrington’s historic FA Cup journey.
During the visit the delegation put on record their gratitude for the continued work both areas continue to undertake in furthering peace and reconciliation.

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(L-R) Rev Stephen Kingsnorth, Harriet Vickers, artist David Guest, Gary Skentelbery, Nick Taylor.
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Harriet Vickers and Rev. Stephen Kingsnorth at the alter.
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The symbol of peace left on the Temple’s “alter”
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The delegation at Lisburn presenting the Warrington Town shirts

VIDEO coverage of the visit


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Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

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