Hundreds of ex-coal miners are being invited to a former pit site 25 years after it closed its gates for the last time.
Over 200 ex-miners are expected to attend an afternoon of events planned to mark the anniversary of the last shift completed at Gedling Colliery.
The gathering will begin at the former Gedling Miners Welfare Club, now called Mapperley Plains Social Club, next Monday (7) at 13.30pm.
The ex-miners will then be taken to the former pit site, now home to Gedling Country Park followed by a visit to the Gedling Memorial Lamp where a ceremony will take place to remember those who died at the colliery.
A beacon will be lit at the park to mark the special event and the day will finish with a special presentation at the welfare club.
The event is being organised by Gedling Borough Council, the Gedling Miners Welfare Trust and the Friends of Gedling Country Park
As a colliery it was a cornerstone of the area until it closed in 1991 and stood derelict for over 20 years before Gedling Borough Council invested £1.6 million to turn it into a country park.
The last shift was recorded on Monday, November 7, 1991 – 25 years to the day that the commemorative event will take place.
[message title=”READ MORE:” title_color=”#000000″ title_bg=”#1e73be” title_icon=”” content_color=”#000000″ content_bg=”#eaeaea” id=””] [/message]
Funding for the event has been provided by Gedling Borough Councillors who pledged money from their individual members’ pots.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke and Vernon Coaker MP will be in attendance along with the Mayor of Gedling, Councillor Sandra Barnes.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: “This will be a very special and historic occasion and one that is unlikely to happen again.
“The colliery was a huge part of this borough and employed thousands of people, some of whom lost their lives there and should be remembered.
“We are looking forward to showing the men and women who are part of the history of the pit that they’ve not been forgotten and the heritage of the colliery lives on through the borough Gedling Country Park.”
