THE names of all those Ambleside men who gave their lives on active service in both world wars and more recent conflicts, were remembered individually by Ambleside Rangers, guides, brownies and rainbows, who decorated 99 pebbles with thumbprint poppies, inscribed on the back with each man’s name which were laid on the altar of St Mary’s Parish Church for the Remembrance Service.

Serving royal engineer, Captain Emma Corrie was the standard bearer for the Langdales branch of the Royal British Legion, escorted by her granddad Brian Elleray and Rod Berry of the legion.

The names of the fallen were read out by David Capstick and Ted Pears and the Words from Kohima were spoken by Brian Elleray. Wreaths were laid at the War Memorial by representatives of the legion, Lakes Parish Council, St Mary’s Parochial Church Council, Windermere Lake Cruises, The Rotary Clubs of Ambleside and Ambleside-Kirkstone, Windermere and Ambleside Lions, Ambleside Guides and other organisations.

The service was conducted by the Rev Beverley Lock, team rector with special commemoration of the 75th anniversary of 1944, remembering D-Day, Kohima and the Monte Cassino campaign. 

Traffic came to a standstill at Market Cross on Armistice Day (11am) to mark the national two-minute silence led by the Rev Lock and legion members, with the Last Post sounded by bugler Matthew Rowland of Wigton Scouts.

This was followed later by a short act of remembrance at Ambleside Primary School near the memorial stone in Vicarage Road, in honour of former pupils of Kelsick Grammar School who were killed in World War One.

 

OTHER community stories from Ambleside...  

AMBLESIDE’S Christmas Lights switch-on is on Saturday, November 16 (10am) at the all-day children’s fun zone in Ambleside school playground.

Cancer Care’s grand Christmas fair (10am-noon) at the Kelsick Centre with cakes, gifts, jewellery, toys, decorations, refreshments and raffle. The first Santa cruise leaves (11am) to fetch Santa from Bowness, returning at 12.30pm.

Charity stalls at Market Cross will open from noon and Ambleside Theatre Voices will perform three sets of songs next to Costa Coffee during the afternoon. Live reindeer will also be heralding the festive season, in the cul-de-sac between the Climbers Shop and Edge of the World shop.

The second Santa cruise leaves (2pm) returning to Waterhead (3.30pm) Santa will ride on his sleigh from Waterhead to the town centre (4pm) and as dusk falls, the lantern procession leaves the Gables Hotel, Compston Road (4.30pm) led by Santa, ready to throw his magic dust in the air to make the lights come on.

Refreshments are available outside the primary school after the procession as crowds make their way to Rothay Park for a spectacular firework display (5.30pm).

A Donate page has been added to the website, (amblesidechristmaslights.co.uk) so people can support the lights by donating online. As of early November, online donations totalled £440.

There will be a lights bingo night (7.30pm) at the Kelsick Centre on December 6. All profits will go towards the upkeep of the lights. 

WHERE did elephants get washed in Ambleside? And why did the Prince of Wales’s behaviour shock local children on a Royal visit in 1927?

Find out what happened in words and pictures and hear many more of the most extraordinary tales ever recorded by Ambleside Oral History Group over many years in Tales of the Unexpected (7.30pm) on November 22 at the Kelsick Centre. Tickets from Fred’s Bookshop or at the door. 

AMBLESIDE is preparing to launch its first Parkrun in Rothay Park with a presentation and open meeting (7.45pm) on Tuesday, November 19 in the Wesley Room, Parish Centre. Speakers include Suzanne Pender, Ursula Brendling and Paul Davies, and other volunteers involved with setting up the great fitness phenomenon in Ambleside. Parkrun organises free weekly timed 5km runs and walks in places throughout the world every Saturday (9am) which are open to all and are safe and easy to take part in. 

THE first of two community conversations are to take place on Wednesday, November 20 (3.30pm) at Ambleside Primary School, organised by Ambleside Action For a Future (AAFAF), the climate emergency local environmental group.

The conversation, inspired by Ambleside’s Incredible Edible Group, is for children, students and their families and friends, to discuss how spaces in the area could be used in a way that better meets local needs and priorities.

AAFAF is benefitting from a £7,300 grant awarded to Cumbria Action for Sustainability’s Space to Connect, made by a partnership between the Co-op’s Charity Foundation and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

In Ambleside, the money is being used to support AAFAF’s Incredible Edible Group to develop community conversations discussing use of green spaces and how to develop the group’s skills in delivering sustainable use of green spaces in the future.

An evening with the co-founder of Incredible Edible, Pam Warhurst CBE also takes place at the parish centre on November 29, open to other communities across South Lakeland to encourage them to network and share information.

Training for AAFAF volunteers will also be an important use of the grant, to help sustain the organisation and activities in the future, from first aid to working with volunteers and vulnerable adults.

This is followed by a second community conversation in the Wesley Room, Ambleside Parish Centre, on November 30 (10am-1pm) to include all age groups, as well as businesses and workers.

There will also be three workshops in the next six months to bring the community together, on themes such as Incredible Edible activities, Fare Share meals, health and wellbeing.

AMBLESIDE-KIRKSTONE Rotary welcomed Simon McDermott, regional fundraising officer for Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) whose father, 80-year-old Ted, who has Alzheimers, became an internet sensation when Simon recorded the two of them singing along in the car to songs Ted performed as a holiday camp entertainer.

His internet popularity raised thousands for Alzheimers and Simon became a regional fundraiser for ARUK. The club presented Simon with £2,500, raised at their annual September duck race. Simon and Ted are on songaminuteman.com.

At the latest meeting of Ambleside Rotary Club, member Bryan Sparrow talked informatively and often humorously of his experiences as a diplomat, representing the EU during the Balkan conflicts.