Father Timothy Lipscomb, Chair of Avenham & Miller Parks friends group with Don Ingham, Preston City Council Avenham & Miller Parks Manager

A series of new benches will be appearing in Avenham and Miller Park as a celebration of the Guild.

The Friends of Avenham and Miller Park groups have been given permission to position a bench with a commemorative plaque in the park.

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Father Timothy Lipscomb, chair of the group, said: “The parks were a fantastic backdrop to many Guild celebrations in 2012 and the friends group decided a commemorative bench would be a lasting homage to the wonderful memories of the thousands who visited Preston last year.”

The council said they had received a number of requests for a memorial or plaque to celebrate the 2012 Guild.

Miller Park during the 2012 Guild

A number of benches have been purchased and anyone interested in buying one now has the opportunity.

Councillor Robert Boswell, cabinet member for environment, said: “The suggestion from members of the public for memorial and commemorative benches was embraced by the council as well as by management and staff at the parks.

“The peaceful and tranquil location is perfect as people have many happy memories of spending time with the family in these beautiful parks, and the dedicated messages engraved on the plaques reflect those sentiments. Some of the most impressive vistas available in the parks have been set aside as locations for the publicly donated benches.”

Each bench requires a donation of £999 which includes the casting of the bench, a brass plaque with personal inscription and the fitting of the bench in situ.

The benches are paid for out of a £474,000 fund from the Heritage Lottery Fund aimed at restoring the West Grotto and improving the parks.

They will be of the dog and serprent design which was popular in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Anyone interested in making a donation for a bench can contact the Avenham and Miller Parks Manager, Don Ingham at d.ingham@preston.gov.uk or on 01772 907737 to arrange a tour around the Parks to pick their favourite spot from the limited bench space available, to discuss the plaque inscription and how to make the donation.