Stagecoach Manchester has honoured the city’s fallen heroes by inviting the Bishop of Manchester, the Reverend Nigel McCulloch, to dedicate its war memorial in a ceremony at its newest bus depot, located on Leestone Road, Sharston.

The memorial, which was previously situated at the company’s historic Princess Road depot, was moved to its new location when the depot closed and operations were transferred to the new £6.5 million facilities in Sharston, in March this year.

The Bishop joined Chris Bowles, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester, staff and members of the local Royal British Legion, to witness the dedication of the monument, which has for many years been a popular place for both staff and local residents to gather and pay their respects to the fallen on Remembrance Sunday.

Following the Act of Remembrance, led by the Bishop, Stockport resident, James Gilmour, whose father-in-law, Herbert Berry, is commemorated on the memorial, read ‘The Exhortation from the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon. James regularly attended the company’s Remembrance Day services at the Princess Road depot, including last year’s final service at the site, and will this year attend the ceremony at the new Sharston depot.

Sharston based driver, Martin Logan, also read “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, before the Reverend Nigel McCulloch completed the ceremony with the Act of Commitment and a final blessing.

Chris Bowles commented: “I would like to thank the Bishop of Manchester, Bishop Nigel, for joining us to formally dedicate our war memorial.

“The memorial has always been a significant part of the heritage of the Princess Road depot, and a place for staff and local residents to gather on Remembrance Sunday.

“Last year, when the memorial was damaged after vandals attempted to force off the wall, we ensured it was professionally restored so that people are able to pay their respects again this year”.