THE first outing of Worcestershire's Remember The Fallen Association took in the impressive surroundings of Pershore Abbey and its war memorial.

Church warden Dr Judy Dale was on hand to provide information and among the guests was the founder of the Remember The Fallen website, Sandra Taylor of Worcester, who has spent more than 15 years researching local war memorials and painstakingly documenting all the history of the men and women behind the names who died during both world wars.

In 1999 Mrs Taylor became a volunteer fieldworker for the National Inventory of War Memorials and began recording and transcribing the war memorials in Worcester and the surrounding area. She decided the names she had recorded deserved to be researched in order to bring to life those commemorated, rather than just remaining as a name carved on a memorial. This has resulted in a wealth of information and memorabilia now freely available to the public via the internet thanks to money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Also in the visiting party were members of the Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association Worcester Branch who, after attending many services in the Abbey, enjoyed the opportunity to study the beautiful historic building at a more leisurely pace. They were escorted by Royal Naval Association secretary Trudy Burge, who as well as knowing the veterans, has struck up a close friendship with Mrs Taylor while researching the book Pershore Men of the Great War.

Mrs Burge said: "I found Remember the Fallen from Pershore Abbey's website six months ago and I count meeting Sandra Taylor as one of my blessings because she has been of such enormous support to me over the past six months and we have so many interests in common. When she told me that she was thinking of having her first outing in Pershore, I was absolutely thrilled and immediately took her on a tour of the town to show her all the military connections we have, including the Commonwealth War Graves at Pershore Cemetery, Pershore Commemorative Garden, the Town Clock, the Brandy Cask plaque and of course the jewel in our crown, Pershore Abbey to name but a few. There is an abundance of history to our small town which we should be very proud of and it's wonderful when people uncover it for the rest of us to share."

The party also visited Pershore Heritage Centre and had lunch at Pershore Naval Social Club.

Sandra Taylor's website http://www.rememberthefallen.co.uk/ provides people across Worcestershire the opportunity to research relatives whose names appear on a war memorial. "Unfortunately the Lottery funding is coming to an end and the organisation will have to begin fund-raising to keep this resource available," added Mrs Burge. "If you are interested in becoming a friend of Remember the Fallen or wish to donate to this resource, please contact Sandra by email at tommy@rememberthefallen.co.uk or by post at Remember the Fallen, 3 Hunt Avenue, Worcester, WR4 0QW."

Pershore RNA's centenary commemorative book on Pershore Men of the Great War will shortly be available with all profit going to the town's Poppy Appeal.