Kind-hearted store boosts community memorial appeal

A kind-hearted supermarket has helped to raise more than £1,000 in a bid to replace a vandalised war memorial.
By Ben Butler
Published 26th Aug 2020, 07:00 BST
The First World War statue was torn apart (Image: Coun James Watson)The First World War statue was torn apart (Image: Coun James Watson)
The First World War statue was torn apart (Image: Coun James Watson)

Ann-Marie Wilburn, Morrisons Leigh community champion, created the fundraising page on behalf of the store after yobs trashed the memorial by the cenotaph in Atherton earlier this month.

Yobs had thrown aside remembrance wreaths and flower planters and a wicker statue of a First World War soldier had been ripped up.

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The damage was discovered on the morning of Tuesday, August 11 by furious and disgusted residents.

Flowers strewn across the cenotaph area (Image: Coun James Watson)Flowers strewn across the cenotaph area (Image: Coun James Watson)
Flowers strewn across the cenotaph area (Image: Coun James Watson)

According to local councillors, the wicker statue is worth up to £1,000 and they said it now cannot be repaired.

But the JustGiving page set-up by Ann-Marie has raised £1,028 as the community bids to replace the memorial.

Ann-Marie said on the page: “On Tuesday, August 11 our beautiful war memorial in Atherton was mindlessly vandalised by a group of unknown people.

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“Unfortunately due to the current situation the group are unable to fundraise themselves so Morrisons Leigh have offered to step in and do it on their behalf.

Damage to the statue (Image: Coun James Watson)Damage to the statue (Image: Coun James Watson)
Damage to the statue (Image: Coun James Watson)

“I’ve set up this just giving page on behalf of the store and all money raised will go directly to the fund.”

Atherton councillor Stuart Gerrard praised the fundraising efforts and urged people to donate money to get the memorial replaced.

Coun Gerrard said: “There’s some great people out there, amidst all the negativity something good always comes out of bad.

“I hope you can help donate to get this replaced.”

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Damage to the memorial, which the town has spent 15 years ‘transforming’, comes just days before the 75th anniversary of VJ Day - the end of the Second World War.

Councillors Stuart Gerrard and James Watson started a clean-up and they believe that youths were in the area around 1am.

They have urged anyone who has any information to contact them or the police on 101.

To donate money visit the page by searching for “Wicker Man War Memorial.”