Thank you to all those who came yesterday to this very important community event, remembering those who died in the mining disasters at Bentley Colliery in 1931 and 1978.

I have attended every annual commemoration since I became the MP in 2005 and they are a very moving way in which we rightly remember those who lost their lives powering our country, with all the impacts on their families and the community. It is so right that we come together to mark their service and sacrifice and also to mark the strength of the communities of Bentley and Arksey.

Thank you to the organisers of the event, to father David D’Silva who conducted the service and to the Jet for hosting us afterwards.