On the evening of Armistice Day, 11th November, Wilmslow United Reformed Church hosted a performance of "A Patchwork of Voices" by members of Wilmslow Green Room. This unique piece commemorates the experiences of people in and around Wilmslow during World War 1. It is based on the writings and memories of people at the time, as collected and edited by three Green Room members.
Six voices made up the patchwork, with narration by Denise Soussi and Mike Rogerson and Tim Cooper, Sonia and Ronnie Dykstra and Ben Shotton as readers. There were diary extracts, poems, articles and interviews about the war and letters written to and by local people at the time which described conditions clearly and were candid about the prospects of survival. Mainly, though, the soldiers tried to reassure their loved ones that "I'll be all right." and expressed more concern about those at home than about themselves.
Other letters and diary extracts talked of life on the home front in Wilmslow and nearby during the dark days of family separation and anxiety. A diary extract from a young socialite, Isabel Lee, just days before war was declared showed her to be quite unaware of the situation. She spoke of playing tennis in the morning and again in the afternoon "... on a lovely day".
The readings were accompanied by sound effects, including that of relentless marching feet, gun fire and explosions. There were four songs which the audience including "It's a long way to Tipperary" and "Keep the Home Fires Burning".
Peter Bradley, who helped to arrange the evening on behalf of the church commented: 'The whole evening was truly special and very memorable for the insight it offered into the way people in this community saw events 100 years ago. There were some wonderful comments about the performance. It was a poignant and deeply moving evening of remembrance."
Donations amounting to £380 were collected for Combat Stress, the veterans' mental health charity.
