Remembrance service held at former Calderstones hospital in Whalley to highlight Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust’s support of veterans in crisis

Armistice Day takes place on November 11th each year and marks the end of the First World War. It is a day of commemoration and an occasion to remember and honour all fallen war victims.

Recently the Trust held a remembrance service at its inpatient unit in Whalley, formerly known as Calderstones, to honour the site's history as a former military hospital and those across Lancashire and South Cumbria who have given their lives, ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

It was well attended, with representation including His Majesty’s Lord-Leuitenant of Lancashire, Trust colleagues, local councillors, the Royal British Legion, the Mayor and Mayoress of the Ribble Valley, Simon and Donna O’Rourke and other dignitaries and members of the community.

There was a short service at St Luke’s Church on site and music from a brass band, followed by wreath laying in the nearby cemetery, two-minutes’ silence and an opportunity to connect and share stories over coffee afterwards.

LSCFT is proud to have held Veteran Aware Trust accreditation status for the last four years and a gold award as part of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, which means that there are established structures to support colleagues and service users in appropriate care or treatment who are from the Armed Forces community.

The Trust has recently been shortlisted for a HSJ Award for its collaboration with Healthier Heroes CIC, which was developed with veterans, for veterans.

The collaboration develops a clinically guided, community-embedded partnership to support veterans who often fall through the cracks of statutory provision. The initiative emerged following the pandemic and the urgency for more integrated multi-agency solutions for marginalised groups - bringing housing, therapy, and clinical oversight into one trauma-responsive ecosystem.

By diverting veterans away from acute care, the criminal justice system, and emergency housing, the partnership reduces pressure on statutory services while achieving outcomes that are sustainable and transformative.

Phil Horner, chief strategy and performance officer at LSCFT, said: “It was great to see so many members of the community come together and mark this important day. Our Whalley site is steeped in history, with its roots as a military hospital and it’s vital that we remember those who gave their lives for ours.

“As a Trust, we remain committed to supporting veterans, whether that be through employment or ensuring we guide our veteran service users into the right type of care. We are proud that this is being recognised at a national level and also to be one of 200 organisations awarded with the Gold level Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), highlighting our efforts to support the armed forces community, ex-armed forces, reservists, and their families into work in the NHS and fostering a welcoming environment.”

Mayor of the Ribble Valley, Simon O’Rourke, said: “As Ribble Valley Mayor and Mayoress, it was an honour to attend the remembrance service and to pay tribute to the former residents of Calderstones. We remember their lives with dignity and ensure that their stories are never forgotten.”