Manchester to mark Remembrance Sunday with annual city centre service

Manchester will mark Remembrance Sunday with its annual city centre service this November.

Honouring the service and sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces community, the commemorative event is open to all and will take place on Sun 8 Nov at the Manchester Cenotaph in St Peter’s Square between 10.30am and 12pm.

At 10.30am veterans, serving military personnel and cadets, led by the Greater Manchester Police Band, will march from John Dalton Street to the Cenotaph.

At 10.45am, the civic procession will set off from Mount Street, accompanied by the Scots Guards Association Pipe Band, making its way to the Cenotaph ahead of the service.

At 10.58am, the service will begin. A two-minute silence will be observed at 11am in tribute to those who have lost their lives in conflict. The start and conclusion of the silence will be marked by the firing of a maroon.

Following the service, veterans, military personnel and cadets will take part in a short return march across St Peter’s Square to Mount Street.

Remembrance Sunday commemorations will take place across the city as the council marks another year of its partnership with the Royal British Legion, supporting local communities to organise and deliver their own remembrance events with community grants. A range of events have been held for the public to join, including arts and crafts sessions, memorial services and performances.

Councillor Shaukat Ali, the Lord Mayor of Manchester, said: “Remembrance Sunday is one of the most important occasions in Manchester’s civic calendar. It is a time for us to come together as a city to remember and honour the courage, sacrifice and service of those from our diverse communities who have given so much in times of conflict. I want to encourage residents, families and visitors to join us at the Cenotaph as we pay our respects and ensure that the contribution of past and present generations is never forgotten.”

Members of the public planning to attend should be aware that several road closures will be in place in the city centre during the event. There will also be a temporary suspension of tram services through St Peter’s Square between 10.15am and 12.30pm. Visitors are advised to check travel information before setting out.

Travel and road closure information for the event can be found here.