Local MP Sheryll Murray joined residents of Herodsfoot on Monday when the Royal British Legion Riders visited the village. This was part of the ‘Thankful Villages Tour’ organised by two gentlemen Medwyn Parry and Dougie Bancroft. Riding Triumph Trophy motorbikes to every single one of the 51 "Thankful Villages" in the United Kingdom, the aim is to raise £51,000 for the Royal British Legion. Thankful villages are villages with no traditional war memorial because all who left to fight in the Great War were lucky enough to return home. Many had been scarred physically and/or mentally by their horrific ordeal. Amazingly, 14 of the villages including Herodsfoot are "Double Thankful", where everybody who left also returned from the Second World War. Herodsfoot is the only ‘thankful village’ in Cornwall or Devon.
Following the visit Sheryll said, “It was brilliant to see so many people from this fantastic community turn out for the occasion and all of the riders who travelled from far and wide to join Medwyn and Dougie.”
After presenting a Cornish slate plaque to be fitted to the War Memorial and a certificate for the Village, a short remembrance service was taken by the local vicar with the Ode to Remembrance read by Steve Lewis, Chairman of Cornwall Royal British Legion. £280 was donated at the event with many promises of more.
Sheryll also met with four generations of Mr Medlen’s family. Mr H Medlen was one of the villagers who returned from the First World War and Sheryll was joined by his daughter, grand daughter, great grand daughter and great great grand daughter.
Sheryll continued, “I would like to thank all of the organisers who made the event such a success and indeed the Liskeard and the Cornwall Royal British Legions. I would encourage anyone who can to donate to http://thankfulvillagesrun.com/
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Contact: Sheryll Murray MP 01579 344428
Pictured: Sheryll Murray in herodsfoot
Further info: http://thankfulvillagesrun.com/