South Shields Good Friday parade to return for 2022 after missing two years due to covid - this is the route the Procession of Witness will take

The Procession of Witness, organised by the South Shields Sunday School Union, will return on April 15.

The Good Friday parade has been a key event in South Tyneside’s calendar for more than a century.

But covid measures meant the event could not take place in 2020 or 2021 – the latter being the 170th anniversary of the founding of the parade.

Organisers put together an online service and events in 2021 instead.

But this year they are looking forward to being back in action.

The Procession of Witness will see marchers congregating at 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.

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

At the junction with King Street, the parade will be joined by marchers from The People’s Mission Church, arriving via Mile End Road.

The parade will continue on to South Shields Market Place via King Street – a new route this year to help minimise disruption to bus services at the new transport interchange in Keppel Street where previous parades have taken place.

The traditional Good Friday service will then be held in the market square at around 10am.

Marchers will then return to their respective churches via the same route.

The Mayor and Mayoress of South Tyneside, Councillor Pat Hay and Jean Copp will be attending the service in the Market Place.

The Mayor said: “The Easter Parade is a well-established tradition in South Tyneside.

“After a two-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s wonderful that we will see the community come together once again to mark this occasion.”

All are welcome to join the procession and attend the service in the Market Place.

A series of road closures will be in place to accommodate the parades. Drivers are advised to follow the diversions.

Buses will be temporarily diverted along another route into the town centre for the duration of the road closures.

The parades traditionally held in the Harton/Horsley Hill and West Park areas of South Shields have been postponed for this year.

The Mayor said residents are encouraged to contact their local churches for details of local services or arrangements.