The National Commemorative Battle of the Somme Concert on the 1st July 2016 at Heaton Park in Manchester is home to this free concert and is suitable for all ages (under 14 to be accompanied by an adult)

Why not bring a rug and a picnic, or buy refreshments at the park and join in the unforgettable evening, marking the end of a day of remembrance across the UK and in France.

Presented by broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, the FREE concert will feature Manchester’s Hallé Orchestra along with music from a national children’s choir, archive film and a dance piece performed by hundreds.  The concert will also feature a range of letters and poems depicting the lives of those affected by the Somme, including a specially commissioned poem read by author and broadcaster Lemn Sissay.  Although this is a free concert, tickets need to be booked, please visit http://www.manchester.gov.uk/events/event/3958/concert_at_heaton_park_a_collective_creative_commemoration

The concert site will be open at 6pm and close at 9.45pm sundown.

Prior to the concert from 4pm, the park will also host The Experience Field, an outdoor heritage event showcasing stores, artefacts and expert information about life on the home and western fronts a century ago.  The Experience Field is also free.

The first 5,000 memory squares which Lions and other members of the public are submitting will be printed onto ceramic tiles and laid into a temporary path in Heath Park, as well as being featured on the website https://www.1418now.org.uk/somme100/gallery for others to see.  The path will be able to be viewed on the evening.