The community will come together on Saturday, 21 March 2026 to dedicate Langley streets and a local park in memory of former local soldiers.
The dedication service, which begins at 10.50am at Willow Park, Langley, will be held in memory of Fusilier Lee Rigby, Corporal Joel Halliwell and Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington.
‘Rigby Way’, ‘Joel Halliwell VC Park’ and ‘Hetherington Way’ have been named in honour of the lives of Lee, Joel and Scott, who had deep and lasting connections with the Middleton community.
Relatives of the 3 late soldiers, residents, councillors, the Mayor of Rochdale, and members of the armed forces community will be present at the dedication service to pay their respects, reflect and remember.
The service will include speeches in memory of Lee, Joel and Scott, the laying of wreaths, the playing of the Last Post, poetry, the Kohima Epitaph and dedications.
Fusilier Lee Rigby grew up in Middleton and served in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Lee’s life tragically ended on 22 May 2013, when he was murdered by terrorists outside a military barracks in south London.
Corporal Joel Halliwell grew up in Middleton and served as a Corporal during World War I. Joel, who died in 1958 aged 76, received the Victoria Cross for Valour, the country’s highest military award, and to date remains the only Middleton person to have received the honour. On 27 May 1918, Joel was captured by the Germans and remained a prisoner with them for a short time before escaping. On his way back to the British lines, Joel had brought wounded comrades back to safety in spite of heavy German shellfire and was honoured for his bravery.
Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, who was also a Middleton resident, died serving in Iraq on 2 January 2017, at the age of 22. Scott was a member of the Duke of Lancashire Regiment and was a vehicle commander in the Force Protection Platoon.
