Liverpool’s Lord Mayor is asking local residents to check their cupboards for china or clear their kitchen of kitsch in a bid to give a new veterans centre a bit of a lift.
The Veterans Welcome Centre will be based at the Port of Liverpool Buildings, which has been kindly loaned to the Battle of Atlantic 70th Commemoration Organising Committee courtesy of Downing Developments free of charge. It will be open on Saturday 25, Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May from 12 noon to 4pm, to coincide with the Battle of the Atlantic commemorations weekend.
Lord Mayor, Councillor Sharon Sullivan, will launch the appeal for china cups and saucers at the Town Hall on, Friday 22 February.
Councillor Sullivan said: “This is a great idea, and will hopefully give the veterans somewhere to go during this fantastic weekend to rest their legs, enjoy a cuppa and have a chat with fellow veterans.
“I hope to encourage as many people to go through their cupboards and root out all their old china cups and saucers; they don’t have to be matching just in good condition and able to hold a strong cup of tea!”
Battle of the Atlantic veterans Jack Brotheridge and Frank Holding will be at the Town Hall on Friday 22 February, to hopefully take collection of the first of many donations.
Jack was involved in twenty two Atlantic Convoys, Malta Convoy, Secret service operations and every invasion except D-Day being otherwise engaged in the Anzio bloodbath. While Frank Holding, 91 was onboard ships that were both sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic. Joining them will be current serving Liverpool Sea Cadets and Arctic Convoy Veterans, Arthur Micklewright and Frederick Orme.
Anyone wanting to donate their old crockery can simply drop it off at the Town Hall, High Street, Liverpool up to and including Monday 8 April 2013, Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.
It is hoped that by having such a facility available veterans will be encouraged to come into the city and enjoy the celebrations while having somewhere to go, with their families, and take a break.
Liverpool Sea Cadets will be on hand for the weekend serving tea, coffee and biscuits to veterans and their families from 12noon until 4pm each day.
The Veterans Welcome Centre is sponsored by the Seafarers UK, Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and The Royal British Legion. Once the centre closes after the Battle of the Atlantic weekend, all crockery will be given to the Liverpool sea cadets for them to donate to local sea faring charities.
