FORMER Prime Minister Sir John Major will be a special guest at the memorial service commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Warrington bombing, today, Monday, March 20.
Sir John has described the Warrington Bombing as “his greatest despair during Peace Process” and the “Motivation to keep going was prospect of a deal”.
He has kept in touch with the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace Charity, visiting the Peace Centre and supporting fund-raising events on numerous occasions, following the IRA bombing which claimed the lives of three-year-old Johnathan Ball and 12-year-old Tim Parry and injured more than 50 shoppers.
The event will start with pupils from Great Sankey High School and Barrowhall Primary School, singing “You raise me up.”
The welcome speech will be given by Freeman of Warrington, former Cllr. Mike Hannon, who was deputy Mayor at the time of the bombing, and heavily involved in building bridge of peace, between Warrington and the island of Ireland. He greeted Crewe United FC to the town in the wake of the bombing, the first Irish visitors to offer the hand of peace.
Other speakers will include Colin Parry and Gareth Boldsworth, Tim Parry’s best friend at school.
A number of road closures will be in place for the event which is being co-ordinated by Warrington Borough Council in conjunction with the Peace Foundation, set up in memory of the boys and other victims of the IRA atrocity which also later led to the death of young mother Bronwen Vickers, who was seriously injured by one of the blasts caused by bombs planted in two litter bins on Bridge Street on a busy Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day.
The atrocity caused shockwaves around the world as Warrington responded with dignity and a message of peace, leading to the Good Friday agreement.
Tim’s parents Colin and Wendy, with the support of Johnathan’s now deceased parents, Wilf and Marie Ball, became ambassadors for peace, helping create the unique Peace centre in their memory.
As part of the town’s remembrance in this 30th anniversary year, guests will be seated for an event in the town centre.
This event will take place from Market Gate, looking down towards Bridge Street.
The event is expected to begin at 12 noon and conclude at 12.45 pm, with a one-minute silence at 12.20 pm.
Many members of the public are expected to want to pay their respects at the River of Life in the town centre and join in the one-minute silence. Though the main Bridge Street thoroughfare will in large part be cordoned off for the event, there will still be a level of public access to Bridge Street – but this will be limited.
