The King's Shilling Walk

Sunday August 3rd 2014
The Crewe and the Nantwich & District Branches of The Royal British Legion are proud to announce the launch the King's Shilling Walk and Edwardian themed picnic to commemorate the centenary of the start of World War One.

Members of both Branches met at the Boer War Memorial in Queens Park, Crewe on Sunday 22nd June to highlight and officially launch the event.

They were joined by members of the Crewe Army Cadet Detachment, representatives from Bae Systems Radway Green who are kindly manufacturing and donating the commemorative "King's Shilling" which will be awarded to all those who finish the walk, and the Park Manager Elaine Webster who is working hard to make the event in Queens Park something really special.

The Day will begin with a sponsored walk from the Barony Park in Nantwich – sign in from 10.00am (walk starts at 11.00am) – along the Sustrans route to finish at Queens Park in Crewe, a distance of approximately two and a half miles.

Poppy Picnic

Once at the park the day continues with a Poppy Picnic – food will be available but you may bring your own if you wish. There will be stalls and activities for all the family to enjoy and there will be music provided by the Co-Op Funeral Band, the South Cheshire Pipe Band and the Police Corps of Drums, there will also be local Choirs performing including St Mary's Peace Choir and the Funky Choir.

It will mimic the events surrounding the "signing up for the King's Shilling" an enlisting in the armed forces when many people thought that an easy victory would be had and that the war would be over by Christmas.

Service

There will also be a service of commemoration at 2.00pm at the Boer War Memorial and people will be encouraged to plant a cross or a poppy to remember the fallen both in The Great War and in all the years since in a special sectioned off part of the Park.

There will be a free shuttle bus service from Queens Park back to the Barony Park.

Members of both Branches have been working with others over many months to get the event up and running as a fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives, and indeed those who survived the horrors of war and had to live with what they had experienced.

Royal British Legion

It was out of this conflict that the Royal British Legion was formed in 1921, it began as a network of comrades who met to talk through their experiences and receive companionship and support. This is still true today and all profits from the event will go towards continuing this vital and necessary work.

Registration Packs

You can get Registration Packs for the walk by emailing kingsshillingwalk@aol.com or telephoning 01270 569258. You can also get them from The Royal British Legion Outreach Centre in Earle St, Crewe, or from "The Pickle Jar" Café in Queens Park.

If you do not wish to do the walk you can still join in the commemoration at the Park

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