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The Award Winning Atherton Cenotaph Memorial Project Group

Who are we?

For some years now the Atherton Branches of the Royal British Legion and the Royal Naval Association have been lobbying for improvements to be made to the Cenotaph which stands on an impressive site situated at the southern entrance to the town.

In February 2004, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council announced that land adjacent to the Cenotaph, which had been assigned for the use of the citizens of Atherton by Lord Lilford, would be made available for an extension to the Cenotaph site. A considerable area of land has been allocated for conversion into a memorial garden to honour citizens of the town who gave their lives in the two Great Wars and subsequent world-wide conflicts.

Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust, Atherton British Legion, Atherton Naval Association, local Councillors as well as local residents, schools and community groups, have been working together in an effort to make the plans a reality.

Atherton proudly boasts one of the largest turnouts in the Metropolitan area on Remembrance Sunday, with considerable participation by local veterans organizations and it is particularly gratifying to note the involvement of local schools and youth groups such as the Scouts and Guides. Theirs is the generation that will ensure that our local history will continue to be appreciated and the sacrifice of ordinary local citizens respected well into the future.

Award Winners

The project group were amongst the nominees at the 2007 Urban Design Awards held at Wigan Investment Centre on Friday 30th November 2007. These awards are part of a new initiative by Wigan Council to "...promote and encourage good design across the borough..."

And in the Category of Environmental Quality, the winners are ... The Atherton Cenotaph Memorial Project Group. "The Atherton Cenotaph Memorial Project Group deserve great credit for the project which has put the Cenotaph back into pride of place in the local community."


The project group is and has been the focal point for all those people in the community who have put their ideas and opinions forward and helped to bring about the improvements to the Cenotaph and it's surrounds. This award has been earned and well deserved due to the combined efforts of all those involved.

Local heroes wanted for local heroes!

Would you be willing to help look after the grave of a local hero? Atherton Cenotaph Memorial Project group are working to improve Atherton cenotaph and it's surrounds and to raise awareness of what it stands for. As part of this we are looking for local people or organisations to volunteer to help look after some of the war graves located within Atherton cemetery.

Many of these graves are looked after by relatives of the dead but some are not and we need your help to keep these tidy. This wouldn't be a very big commitment but it could have a big impact on the appearance of the graves and would be a real mark of respect for those who gave there lives for their country.

If you think you can help or would like to know more please email Peter Powell using the subject "Local heroes".