Academy student organising Armed Forces Day event to honour veterans

A student from Denton Community Academy has been combining revision for his final GCSE exams, with planning an event to celebrate our armed forces community.

16-year-old Bradley Cronan, who will be going to Clarendon College in September, has been a volunteer with the Rochdale Society of Model and Experimental Engineers for the past four years, and is organising the Armed Forces Day celebration at Springfield Park on Sunday 28 June, to raise funds to support veterans’ organisation Help for Heroes.

The event includes a charity football match, miniature train rides, a march and drill demonstrations by local Army cadets, a brass band, and a speech by the Mayor, Councillor Faisal Rana.

Bradley said: “I have a strong interest in WW2 aircraft and the Railway Industry, and my motivation for hosting an Armed Forces Day event comes from wanting to highlight why supporting our veterans is so important. It’s been a big challenge organising the event alongside revising for my GCSEs, but I want this event to raise awareness, celebrate the sacrifices made by serving personnel and veterans, and give recognition to them.”

Bradley also has a strong family connection to the Armed Forces. His great‑grandad also served in the military and has always been a big inspiration for him; his uncle was in the Army, and has cousins currently serving in the Navy and the RAF.

Kev Gray is an Ambassador for Help for Heroes covering the North West area and said: “What an inspirational young person Bradley is. Organising this event, while he’s preparing for his exams is amazing. It’s so good to know that young people like Bradley want to support our veterans. Without people like him, we couldn’t continue to offer support to former service men and women.”

Bradley added: “I hope lots of local families come along, for a fun day out, and to show their support for our veterans.”

The event runs from 11-4pm, at Springfield Park. For more information about the event, please go to https://www.facebook.com/RochdaleModelEngineers/?locale=en_GB.

Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps people live well after service. The Charity supports veterans and their families with their physical and mental health, as well as welfare and social needs. It has already supported tens of thousands - and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.  

The Charity supports veterans and their families from any branch of the UK military, regulars and reserves, irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians who worked under the command of UK Armed Forces.