A service of remembrance and hope, for those affected by road crashes, will take place at 3.30 pm at Hereford Cathedral on Sunday 17 November as part of a national network of RoadPeace services.

The service is for anyone who wishes to come, but especially for those injured or bereaved by road crashes and for those who work in the emergency services. The preacher will be The Revd. Canon John Simpson and, on arrival, there will be an opportunity to write the name of someone you wish to remember on an oak leaf card. These will then be placed at the foot of the Easter Candle during the service.

Over 20 remembrance services will take place across the UK on Sunday 17 November, coordinated by RoadPeace, as part of a global movement to remember the unacceptable number of lives lost and broken on our roads. The services are also an opportunity to thank first responders, the police and medical professionals who deal daily with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury.

Road deaths and injuries are sudden, violent, traumatic events, often with a lifelong and life changing impact. Each year, millions of newly injured and bereaved people from every corner of the world are added to the countless millions already suffering as the result of a road crash. The burden of grief and suffering experienced is all the greater because many of the victims are young, because crashes can be prevented and because the response to road death and injury and to victims and families is often inadequate, unsympathetic, and inappropriate to the loss of life or quality of life.

Brigitte Chaudhry MBE, RoadPeace Founder and WDR initiator, whose son Mansoor was tragically killed in a crash in 1990, says:

"I am proud to have had a major part in the creation and evolution of the World Day to the present day. It has been wonderful to witness the spread of World Day commemorations throughout the world and to know that we victims are linked with each other on that special day in remembering our loved ones. Of course we hope that raising awareness of the terrible consequences of crashes among all road safety stakeholders, governments and the general public will lead to a serious reduction of road danger and hence future deaths and injuries. We hope that thanks to the existence of our World Day we will have to remember fewer new road victims each year.” 

The World Day of Remembrance has wide support from the emergency services, politicians and NGOs in the UK. To find out more about the work of RoadPeace please visit www.roadpeace.org