Worcester City Council will be marking the outbreak of the First World War 100 years ago, by joining in the national LIGHTS OUT campaign on Monday 4 August 2014.

All lights will be turned off between 10pm and 11pm at the Guildhall on Worcester’s High Street as well as City Council offices in Farrier Street and its depot at Sixways.

“We will be switching out lights at our offices as a mark of respect to the millions of people who lost their lives and who suffered during the First World War,” said Duncan Sharkey, Managing Director of Worcester City Council.

“The lessons learned from these events one hundred years ago must never be forgotten.  I would encourage Worcester residents to join in between 10pm and 11pm and switch their lights out too, so as a city we can experience a shared moment of reflection.”

Individuals and organisations all over the UK are being asked to participate.  The move mirrors the famous remark made by Sir Edward Grey, then British Foreign Secretary, one hundred years ago: 

“The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.”

For further details of the LIGHTS OUT campaign, go to http://www.1418now.org.uk/lights-out/

For the full programme of events planned in Worcestershire to mark the outbreak of World War 1, go to www.ww1worcestershire.co.uk