Cheshire Independent Issue 187

5 MAY 2024 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk 2 BED TERRACE IN NEED OF MODERNISATION £150,000 07956 280234 WOODLEY Feel the benefit of a warmer home, save money on your energy bills, and help tackle climate change. Or call Your Home Better on 0161 883 7979 Scan to see if you qualify for free or discounted home upgrades. ! Continued frompage one Unveiling the festival plans, a council spokesperson said: “We’ll be offering live music, workshops, exhibitions, activ- ities, street theatre, walking tours and loadsmore.” The planned parade, which will set off from the town hall, will look to showcase local com- munity groups and details of how they can take part will be announced shortly. Organisers are planning a range of activi- ties and attractions around the town. They will include ‘1261: The After-Party’ which will take place on the evening of Saturday June 29. The spokesperson added: “FromTreacle to Silk, Pandas to Potatoes and Mayall to Curtis, we’ve got a lot that makes us Macclesfield, so let’s put on a bit of a show.” Putting on a show! Service: JamieWebb was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (Photo credit: The Webb family) A hero is honoured Plaque: The story of Jamie’s bravery was unveiled at the ceremony which attracted a large crowd THE bravery and sacri- fice of a young Cheshire soldier killed in Afghan- istan has been recog- nised with the unveiling of a new memorial in his home town of Handforth. Lance Corporal Jamie Webb was 24 when he who died following a truck bomb attack on his patrol base in Helmand Province in March 2013. The former Wilmslow High School and Macclesfield College student overcame two serious brain opera- tions following an attack on him in the UK to return to active duty with The Mer- cian Regiment. Jamie was killed during his second seventh-month tour in Afghanistan while a member of the regiment’s C Company. He had also served in Iraq and Northern Ireland. The memorial telling Jamie’s special story of brav- ery and determination was unveiled next to Handf rth’s war memorial off Wilmslow Road on Grangeway. More than 200 people, including veterans, attended a service for him at Handforth War Memorial. A plaque unveiled by his mother Sue retold Jamie’s story, calling him a “a true British hero from Hand- forth” and describing how his resilience and kindness made him a role model. A cherry tree was also planted in his memory. Jamie’s younger brother Luke, 28, said: “Jamie demon- strated exceptional bravery throughout his life. He overcame two brain operations and returned to active duty with the Mercian Regiment following an attack while on leave after a tour in Iraq. “His remarkable resilience, kind- ness, and love for his country make him an exemplary role model, showcasing the existence of genuine heroes like him serv- ing our country.” Jamie was 18 when he joined the Army and was described by his command- ing officers as a “totally pro- fessional solider and a great friend to many”. More than 1,000 people lined the main street in Hand- forth to pay their respects at his funeral at St Chad’s Par- ish Church. A new road in Handforth was named in Jamie’s honour in 2020. His family attended the official unveiling of Jamie Webb Drive alongside Greater Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham.