A service to remember people who have been killed on Gloucestershire’s roads took place on Sunday 17 November and offered a moving space for those who attended to reflect and remember loved ones.
The service organised by Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) in conjunction with RoadPeace was held at Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton near Stroud on World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims.
The event was attended by over 50 individuals who heard readings from community leaders and those who lost loved ones. At the end of the service those in attendance were also offered the opportunity to light a candle and write a message of remembrance.
Cllr David Norman, Chair of the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, said: “I was honoured to attend this reflective and touching event that gave everyone who attended the opportunity for reflection. It’s so important that we remember the whole network of people who are impacted when someone is killed or seriously injured on our roads. We will continue to work together to make sure the number of people impacted moves in the right direction.”
PCC Chris Nelson said: “This was an incredibly moving service, where civic leaders, front line emergency workers and bereaved families all sat together, recognising and sharing unique stories and experiences of dealing with deaths and serious injuries on the county’s roads. The RoadPeace day of remembrance gave us the opportunity to come together as a county and recognise the human tragedy that every road death leaves behind. I also hope it helps galvanise our collective resolve to make sure that other families do not have to endure a similar heartache in future.”
Supt Jessica Loxley-Clark, Specialist Operations, Gloucestershire Constabulary, said: “The Remembrance service was a heartfelt reminder of the terrible impact that roads deaths and injuries can have on so many people. The emergency services witness the devastation felt by loss first hand and how difficult it can be to come to terms with. We will continue to do all we can to work together in partnership and make our roads safer.”
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year. It is a global event to remember the many millions who have been killed and seriously injured on the world’s roads. The core partners of the GRSP are Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire County Council, South Western Ambulance Trust and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC).
