Hexham Town Council, in partnership with Hexham Town Twinning Association, organised a peace walk on Saturday 11th November 2023. Together with people in our twin towns (Noyon in France and Metzingen in Germany) and with the people of Ukraine, the event demonstrated our desire and support for peace, and the wish to remember all those caught up in conflict around the world.
Hexham Village Band played in the bandstand before the start of the walk at 2pm. Mayor Derek Kennedy read an address including messages from our twin towns. Yaryna Kvitka sang Ukrainian folk songs, see photograph on the right.

The walk passed through significant places in Hexham, starting with the war memorial. There were several readings, and in the community centre Una Clay-Wallers & Freya Villiers-Stewart, below left, performed a song that they had written, in front of a display about Tynedale's 1980s nuclear bunker, with a talk by the event organiser, Caroline Westgate.

The walk continued to the railway station where Alice Aitken read her poem 'Purple Poppies' and Amelia & Jake, above right, our Queen Elizabeth High School Representatives, read poems and texts. The walk concluded around 3.30pm with a return to the bandstand for a final reading. Event participants were invited to refreshments served in St Mary’s RC Church Hall.

Images copyright Ruby Corder