Join the community in honouring individuals killed or injured on Northamptonshire’s roads

The event is being held on Sunday (November 17) to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims from 3pm at the Holy Sepulchre Church.

Commemorated on the third Sunday in November each year, the day honours the millions impacted by road incidents across the globe – together with their families, friends and those affected by the issue.

It also acts as an opportunity to thank the emergency services, medical professionals and others who deal with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury on a daily basis.

The hour-long service will include readings from loved ones, poetry and music, and the names and photos of victims will be displayed.

This day was first initiated in 1993 by RoadPeace, a national charity for road crash victims in the UK, and was adopted by the United Nations as a global day almost two decades ago in 2005.

RoadPeace continues to provide information and support services to bereaved individuals, or those who have been seriously injured in road crashes. They engage in evidence-based policy and campaign work to fight for justice and reduce road danger.

Set up in 1992 by Brigette Chaudhury MBE, whose son was killed in a road crash, the charity’s work is informed by the needs and experiences of victims.

Everyone is welcome to attend this weekend’s service and this is encouraged by organisers Chris and Nicole Taylor, who lost their daughter Beccy to a road traffic incident in 2008 when she was just 18 years old.

Beccy lost control when her car hit surface water caused by a blocked drain on a road between Blisworth and Milton Malsor, and her parents have worked tirelessly to spark important conversations and improve road safety ever since.

The pair are among a group of 40 parents who joined forces this year to demand immediate action, and tackle the “unacceptable and disproportionately high” number of young driver and passenger deaths on UK roads.

The parents, whose children were all killed by cars driven by young drivers, have formed a campaign group called ‘Forget-me-not Families Uniting’ – and they continue to call on the government to save young lives.

Roads policing and family liaison officer PC Emilie Bunkall will be among the congregation. Not only will she represent Northamptonshire Police, but remember her mother Julie who was tragically killed in a collision in 2013.

Her “world shattered” back in June 2013 when she heard over the police radio that her “beautiful mum” had been killed in an accident.

“I found myself walking in the footsteps of the families I had supported, and for the first time truly felt their heartbreak,” said Emilie. “As you can imagine this was heartbreaking and life-changing for us all. The trauma and day-to-day reality were far harder than I had ever imagined.”

1,589 people were injured on Northamptonshire’s roads last year, and the remembrance day aims to show those killed or impacted are “more than just a statistic”.