IN conjunction with KAFKA, Cheshire Area for Cheshire Action marks this day, April 1, 2014 as the first ‘Laurie Burton Day’.

For those who are unaware, Laurie Burton, who was an Australian national living in Knutsford, worked tirelessly for the benefit of the community, even on the day he died, in March 2011.

Since that time, approaches to the local authority asking for some commemoration of his work, have been rejected. Today would have been his birthday and April 1 will stand each year as his commemoration in community service.

During his life, Laurie worked for the benefit of a largely unaware community, which faced, and still faces now, the removal of vital local services.

He instigated and chaired Knutsford Town Plan Group, getting together members of the local community to make their own plans, to draw back the power from public service organisations, which took small account of those in need. His was a determined voice in public and private meetings, serving us.

Laurie Burton Day will stand above politics as a lasting memorial which cannot be rejected or defaced, to a man who worked tirelessly for change and for community. And to commemorate the day we can pass this information on to all our contacts, today and every year, as a gesture of community awareness.

We can join community events and turn out to public meetings, making our voice heard to safeguard and improve community life for all of us, and make time to attend Town Council, Borough Council and NHS Board and Governing Body meetings, to listen, and speak our mind. The more public interest there is, the more our services will reflect our public need.

Bring community life into our own social life and first of all, ensure that our public transport is sufficient to allow us to travel, at least across our own county.

Charlotte Peters Rock