Tameside residents commemorate a very different remembrance Sunday under second lockdown

Tameside communities paid their respects in honouring the fallen soldiers very differently on Remembrance Sunday this year. 

Under normal circumstances, residents of Tameside would gather in local war memorials, attend services at local churches as well as taking part in community parades. 

Due to the current lockdown, usual commemorations set to take place have been either cancelled or massively scaled back.

As a result, residents were asked to observe the two-minute silence at 11am from their doorsteps. 

However, this did not stop the determined communities of Dukinfield in taking part. 

The Girl Guides of Dukinfield maintained their tradition of laying a wreath of poppies at Dukinfield Cenotaph, while maintaining the obvious social distancing guidance. 

Members of the Girl Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, Guides and Guiders of Dukinfield paid their respects by decorating their windows with displays of poppies to mark Armistice Day.

And local residents decorated their windows with displays for the NHS during the previous lockdown.

Members also dressed and stood in their uniforms to mark the national silence.

Diane Austin Hughes, 58, district commissioner for Dukinfield and lead guider for the Rainbow, Brownies and Guide units Tameside, said:  “It has been different as we would normally join the town parade and service.

“Despite this, the communities have still continued to both acknowledge and take part in the remembrance. The second lockdown within the area has been incredibly difficult, however despite this the groups have still set out to thrive.”

Diane, a guider for 20 years, added: “We have kept our groups running through the lockdown, by offering a selection of activities which the girls have completed at home, sharing pictures and videos on our private Facebook group’.

“Our aim throughout this challenging time is to provide a fun alternative from home schooling, for girls and their parents.’’