Peter Parka
Well-Known Member
England's most patriotic town?
By Sallie George
BBC News
The banners, flags and bunting went up weeks ago, and across the market town of Morley in West Yorkshire, residents have been holding their biggest St George's celebrations to date.
Not content with flying the flag for just one day, an entire weekend was given over this year to celebrating England's national day.
The programme of events alone stretched to three pages long, and 10,000 were distributed to schools, shops and homes to encourage people to join the show of patriotism.
In the local park, the England flag flies high, and flowers in the colours of the St George's cross have even been planted in a nearby flowerbed.
On Sunday, hundreds of people watched St George riding on horseback through the town, leading an annual parade, followed by a longbow competition at the town's rugby club.
So is Morley England's most patriotic town?
Local resident Paul Cockcroft, 41, who helped to organise the weekend festival, is certain it is.
"As far as I know, we have the largest event of its kind in the country," he said.
"That was what we were aiming for.
"A month before the event, we had the whole town covered in bunting from head to toe, so it looked like VE day.
"When people came into the town and saw all the bunting, they stopped their cars and said, 'what is going on here?'"
Mr Cockcroft said organisers believed about 10,000 people had visited the town during the weekend of patriotic celebration.
"It shows the sense of passion that people have for celebrating St George's Day," he said.
Joe Tetley, chairman of the Leeds branch of the Society of St George, said Morley was committed to holding the annual festival, which began in the town five years ago and has grown in size every year.
He said: "Irish people go crackers on St Patrick's Day, and the Scottish are the same. It's just a case that we think St George's Day should be celebrated.
"I think people have suddenly realised we don't have a national day, so we have started bothering about it and putting it forward.
"Events like we have had in Morley have really taken off.
"Local people have said it is the biggest event they have seen in Morley since the Queen came in 1954."
The town was intensely proud of its festival and had resisted offers to move the events to the neighbouring city of Leeds, Mr Tetley added.
"It is a Morley event and it stays in Morley - that is non-negotiable," he said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
:clap:clap:clap
By Sallie George
BBC News
The banners, flags and bunting went up weeks ago, and across the market town of Morley in West Yorkshire, residents have been holding their biggest St George's celebrations to date.
Not content with flying the flag for just one day, an entire weekend was given over this year to celebrating England's national day.
The programme of events alone stretched to three pages long, and 10,000 were distributed to schools, shops and homes to encourage people to join the show of patriotism.
In the local park, the England flag flies high, and flowers in the colours of the St George's cross have even been planted in a nearby flowerbed.
On Sunday, hundreds of people watched St George riding on horseback through the town, leading an annual parade, followed by a longbow competition at the town's rugby club.
So is Morley England's most patriotic town?
Local resident Paul Cockcroft, 41, who helped to organise the weekend festival, is certain it is.
"As far as I know, we have the largest event of its kind in the country," he said.
"That was what we were aiming for.
"A month before the event, we had the whole town covered in bunting from head to toe, so it looked like VE day.
"When people came into the town and saw all the bunting, they stopped their cars and said, 'what is going on here?'"
Mr Cockcroft said organisers believed about 10,000 people had visited the town during the weekend of patriotic celebration.
"It shows the sense of passion that people have for celebrating St George's Day," he said.
Joe Tetley, chairman of the Leeds branch of the Society of St George, said Morley was committed to holding the annual festival, which began in the town five years ago and has grown in size every year.
He said: "Irish people go crackers on St Patrick's Day, and the Scottish are the same. It's just a case that we think St George's Day should be celebrated.
"I think people have suddenly realised we don't have a national day, so we have started bothering about it and putting it forward.
"Events like we have had in Morley have really taken off.
"Local people have said it is the biggest event they have seen in Morley since the Queen came in 1954."
The town was intensely proud of its festival and had resisted offers to move the events to the neighbouring city of Leeds, Mr Tetley added.
"It is a Morley event and it stays in Morley - that is non-negotiable," he said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
:clap:clap:clap
