Special service of remembrance for those who have died on Warwickshire's roads
A special online service to remember all those who have died in road traffic collisions on Warwickshire’s roads will take place on Sunday.
The event, organised by Warwickshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, aims to bring together organisations involved in road safety in the county, along with those who have lost loved ones on Warwickshire’s roads.
It takes place on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which was started in the UK by the RoadPeace charity in 1993.
Originally due to be hosted as a physical event at St Mary’s Church in Warwick, the coronavirus pandemic and current lockdown has meant that the service has been pre-recorded but will be streamed to the public online via the PCC’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
Around 1,800 people die on the UK’s road’s each year, while more than 25,000 people are seriously injured.
Between April 2019 and April 2020, 34 people died on Warwickshire’s roads, while a further 282 were seriously injured.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “Any single death on our roads is one too many and during the service we will be taking some time to consider the suffering, grief and loss felt by those individuals and families who have been affected. We will also take time to remember those who have survived but have been left with life changing injuries.
“The impact on family and friends in every road death is immense and long-lasting. The ripple effects among whole communities can also be very significant and that’s why having a platform like this to bring people together in remembrance is something I have been keen to establish here in Warwickshire.
“While we cannot physically be together, I hope that this online event will provide comfort to anyone grieving for a loved one while also giving a focus for all of the work that is being done to reduce the numbers of people who suffer this world-shattering experience.”
Speakers, including Mr Seccombe and Warwickshire Chief Constable Martin Jelley, will be accompanied by a reflective musical performance from the choir of St Mary’s.
People are invited to watch the event, which starts at 3pm, on the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Facebook page and Youtube channels.
