Ex Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher turned out today with ex-miners and friends to celebrate 110 years since coal mining begun in Dinnington.

See video on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0GrvybUPj4

I’m not sure what’s most shocking, the fact that Maggie was there at all or how friendly she is with Dave Smith! (Wonder if his missus knows?)

Maggie does a look 2 dimensional on the next photo though as the march set off, first to Coronation Park to remember all past miners, especially those no longer with us. In the park and throughout the march we were treated to some brilliant music by the long running colliery bandThe miners banner looked magnificent, the call for no nuclear power probably falls on less deaf ears today than in the 80s with events like Fukushima in people’s memory.

Dave Smith the independent candidate for the local elections has been remembering the miners strike, something that played a very large part in my own childhood.

Even now it sends a shiver down my spine when I ride my bike up past the ruined Miners Welfare, you can feel the neglect and disappointment hanging in the air. I can only imagine how this makes the miners feel, those who remember its hey day.

Many people in Dinnington didn’t rely on the pit and life for them continued, but for a large part of our community what was taken is yet to be replaced.