The Friends of Real Lancashire are planning sky high celebrations for Lancashire Day on November 27th

Friends of Real Lancashire (FORL) are reaching for the skies in their celebration of Lancashire Day on Friday November 27th.

As founders of Lancashire Day 25 years ago, the voluntary organisation takes the lead in protecting, promoting and preserving the true identity of Lancashire.

On 27th November 27th 1995 the late Peter Thurnham MP for Bolton North East, spoke in the House of Commons and brought to the attention of MPs a particular historic day 800 years ago in 1295. It was the day when King Edward I summoned to Westminster elected representatives of Lancashire to attend what became known as “The Model Parliament”. Following this, the FORL committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of the 27th November as a suitable day to mark Lancashire Day.

Chairman, Philip Walsh said, ‘Since 1996, Friends of Real Lancashire has been at the forefront of coordinating events throughout Lancashire. We have had town criers out in the county shouting the Lancashire Day proclamation; there have been hot pot supers; folk and dialect events; dinners and charity fund raisers. We have also distributed Eccles Cakes to food banks. This year, due to the Covid restrictions, events have been curtailed somewhat so we have decided to take to the skies. We have hired an aircraft to trail a banner to fly over much of Historic Lancashire.’

The historic county covers an area of 1,909 sq. miles with a population of almost five million people. It covers an area from the River Duddon in the Lake District in the north to the River Mersey in the south and from the Irish Sea to the River Tame in the east.

‘The committee has decided to run a competition and we are looking for the best photographs,’ said Philip. ‘We are asking people to send in their photos of the plane and banner stating where it was seen, and we will give prizes for the best photos and use them on our website.’

To enter the competition on social media, send to #FORL or by email to enquiries@forl.co.uk.

You might still hear town criers as some have a socially distanced plan for reading the proclamation, and Colin Ballard, Lytham’s town crier, has recorded a video which you can see on the FORL’s social media channels.