A 15-year Preston City Council gardener who served in the Falklands War has created his final Remembrance display in St George’s Shopping Centre.

Brian McNeil, 65, started working in the council’s parks team in the mid-nineties, producing the annual ‘Garden of Remembrance’ display at St George’s Shopping Centre in the city centre each year. But as he is due to retire in the summer of next year, the 2022 display will be his last.

The display is particularly poignant as Brian is a veteran, having served in the Army for 10 years, including in the Royal Corps of Signals, completing two tours of Northern Ireland, serving in the Falklands in 1982, and in the Territorial Army for five years.

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Brian said: “Although I have worked for the parks team since the nineties, I transferred to the greenhouse in 2007, where I took on the Remembrance display established many years ago. It’s sad this will be my last display, but I am passing the duty on to my colleague, Markus, who I am sure will do a great job.

“I have been very proud to have been able to put this display together for so long, particularly as a veteran. We should always remember all those who we have lost due to conflict.”

On Saturday, 5 November, at 11am, the Mayor of Preston, Councillor Neil Darby, opened the Garden of Remembrance, where he placed the first cross, followed by representatives from the Royal Navy, the Army, the Royal Air Force, representatives from the various ex-service organisations and the general public.

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Jason Hindley from St George’s Shopping Centre said: “St George’s is really proud to host this display each year. Remembering all those lost due to conflict is important for us all.”

The Garden of Remembrance is within the ground floor rotunda of St George’s Shopping Centre on 28 Friargate.

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