Details of a service to commemorate the lives of almost 3,000 people at a former psychiatric hospital have been revealed.

The Archdeacon of Bradford, the Venerable David Lee, and the Rev Ruth Yeoman, the vicar of St John’s in Menston , will lead the inaugural Thanksgiving Service at the chapel (pictured) in High Royds Memorial Garden next month.

Work on the chapel was only completed earlier this year thanks to volunteers and some Lottery funding.

The Friends of High Royds Memorial Garden have been behind the work on the interior of the chapel, in Buckle Lane, Menston, next to land where 2,861 former patients at the High Royds hospital were buried in unmarked paupers' graves.

The service will take place on Sunday, September 9, at 4pm, and anyone interested in attending is asked to contact Friends’ chairman Ron Sweeney on (01943) 863362 or e-mail ron@windmill centre.co.uk as space is limited.

The service will be at the conclusion of a Heritage Weekend at the chapel and gardens, in conjunction with the National Heritage Open Days initiative.

The chapel and gardens will be open from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm on the weekend of September 8 and 9.

Displays of photographs and other artefacts from the former psychiatric hospital will be on show and refreshments will be available from the High Royds Social Club.

The Friends are also looking for volunteers to help maintain the chapel and the gardens.

In their latest newsletter, the Friends say maintaining help is key to the future development of the area.

“The garden and adjoining wood are now owned by the community,” the newsletter says.

“It must be emphasised that over 150 local people gave their support and it is this commitment that is still required so that the garden and chapel can be developed and maintained on a sustainable basis to respect the dead and be a credit to the locality.”

For more information about the Friends, call Quentin Mackenzie on (01943) 876625 or e-mail quentin.mackenzie@purification.co.uk.