Umbrellas may have outnumbered rifles as the weapon of choice but Darwen's 1940s Day didn't let the weather rain on its parade.

Umbrellas may have outnumbered rifles as the weapon of choice but Darwen’s 1940s Day didn’t let the weather rain on its parade.

Thousands from all over Lancashire plus a good smattering of ex-pats from further afield turned the event into a major success.‘The bulldog spirit was abroad,’ said publicity officer Carol Tapp. ‘We didn’t bother about the weather – we weren’t going to let that spoil the day.’Carol said the town’s traders were overwhelmed by the support they received for the event, organised by the Soldiers’ Support Group in aid of the Army Benevolent Society. The day featured a parade with vintage military vehicles with the Milltown Cloggies, the Darwen Brass Band and the Houghton Weavers keeping the music going. ‘There were tears in my ears as I watched visitors, some in their 80s, singing and swaying under their umbrellas,’ added Carol. ‘It was Britain at its best – the big society is alive and well in Darwen.’

Umbrellas may have outnumbered rifles as the weapon of choice but Darwen’s 1940s Day didn’t let the weather rain on its parade.Thousands from all over Lancashire plus a good smattering of ex-pats from further afield turned the event into a major success.‘The bulldog spirit was abroad,’ said publicity officer Carol Tapp. ‘We didn’t bother about the weather – we weren’t going to let that spoil the day.’Carol said the town’s traders were overwhelmed by the support they received for the event, organised by the Soldiers’ Support Group in aid of the Army Benevolent Society.

The day featured a parade with vintage military vehicles with the Milltown Cloggies, the Darwen Brass Band and the Houghton Weavers keeping the music going. ‘There were tears in my ears as I watched visitors, some in their 80s, singing and swaying under their umbrellas,’ added Carol. ‘It was Britain at its best – the big society is alive and well in Darwen.’

The print version of this article appeared in the October 2011 issue of Lancashire Life

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