South Shields Good Friday Parade: Everything you need to know as it returns for 2024

The final preparations are underway as communities in the borough gear up for the annual Good Friday Parade in South Shields.

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that The Procession of Witness will be returning to the borough on Good Friday (March 29).

The Procession, which is organised by the Sunday School Union, will see marchers meeting at the Living Waters Church, in Laygate at around 9am.

They will then make their way along Bedford Avenue, towards Westoe Road, past South Shields Town Hall and along Fowler Street.

The marchers will be joined by the Bethesda Church, the Salvation Army and Westoe Baptist Church.

Members from the West Harton and Talbot Road Methodist churches will also be joining the parade, meeting on Grace Place, at the Denmark Centre.

When the parade gets to the junction with King Street, it will be joined by marchers from The People’s Mission Church arriving via Mile End Road - The People’s Mission will be leaving around 9.15am from Mile End Road.

The parade will then continue up King Street to South Shields Market Place where the traditional Good Friday service will be held at around 10am.

Following the service, marchers will then return to their respective churches via the same route.

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that the Mayor and Mayoress of South Tyneside, Cllr John McCabe and his wife Julie, will be attending the service in South Shields Market Place.

Speaking ahead of the annual Good Friday parade, the Mayor commented: "The Good Friday parades are a long-established tradition in South Tyneside’s calendar.

"It will be wonderful to see communities coming together to mark the occasion.”

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The local authority has confirmed that all are welcome to join the procession and attend the Good Friday service in the Market Place.

Road users are warned that a series of road closures will be in place to accommodate The Procession of Witness.

Drivers in the borough are advised to follow the diversions - with buses being temporarily diverted along another route into South Shields town centre for the duration of the road closures.

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that parades traditionally held in the Harton/Horsley Hill and West Park areas of South Shields will not be taking place this year.

Residents in the borough are encouraged to contact their local churches for details of any local services or arrangements.