The parade left Chesterfield Town Hall at 11am on Monday, May 6, headed by the Ireland Colliery Band with rhythms provided by the PCS Samba Band and other musicians of that genre.
A rally in New Square highlighted the theme of this year’s gala “Remembering the past Organising for the Future”. Guest speakers included John Burrows, one of the key leaders of the Derbyshire striking miners; Fran Heathcote, the newly elected general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, Dima Al Shami of the Palestine Solidarity campaign and Julia Mwaluke, national vice-president of UNISON.
When the tub-thumping was done, New Square came alive with music and community and voluntary groups manned stalls.
Derbyshire Times photographer Brian Eyre and freelance photographer Nick Rhodes captured the parade and gala.
2. Chesterfield May Day 2024
Chesterfield May Day gala commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Great Miners strike. Parade sets off from Rose Hill. Photo: Brian Eyre
3. Chesterfield May Day 2024
Chesterfield May Day gala commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Great Miners strike. Photo: Brian Eyre
