Mayor of Ellesmere Port confirms Remembrance Sunday service will take place at Christ Church

Storm Franklin caused widespread damage across the country earlier this year, with gales of up to 60mph. One of the many victims of the storm was the Cenotaph, outside the Elim Pentecostal Church on Worcester Street, Ellesmere Port (also known as Christ Church) that was badly damaged by a fallen tree.

The clean-up started immediately across the whole borough. Tenders for the repair of the cenotaph were issued and Grosvenor Construction and Stonemasons are the preferred specialists to carry out the repairs.

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member, Environment, Highways & Strategic Transport said: “We have an application to cover up to half of the cost of repairs with the national War Memorial Trust. Ideally, we wanted to repair the Cenotaph before this year’s Remembrance Sunday but unfortunately the earliest we expect funding will be January 2023.

“I’m pleased to say that any shortfall in the grant from the Trust will be covered by the Ellesmere Port Charter Trustees.”

Councillor Lisa Denson, Town Mayor of Ellesmere Port, added: "The damage was devastating, and I share the disappointment that this can’t be a quick repair. It’s hoped that most of the original sandstone can be repaired, we have been made aware of national delays for replacement stone. The memorial plaque thankfully wasn’t damaged when it fell, it has been removed for safe keeping and will be restored to its original position.

“We considered alternative locations for this year’s Remembrance Sunday, but the strong opinion was that it should remain at Christ Church, the church contains 26 war graves, 25 of them from the First World War and one from the Second World War.”