REDDITCH Royal British Legion will hold its annual Act of Remembrance this Sunday, November 10, in the town centre.
The parade, featuring members of the Armed Forces, Reservists, cadets and other organisations complete with marching band, will leave from Grove Street at 10.30am to march up Alcester Street to the war memorial outside St Stephen’s Church.
There town centre chaplain and vicar of St Stephen’s, the Reverend Paul Lawlor, will deliver a service before the playing of The Last Post and the observing of two minutes silence, not just for the fallen from two world wars, but for all the victims of war since then.
Members of the public will then be invited to join local dignitaries, including the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire Mark Armstrong, and popular Chelsea Pensioner Simon de Buissseret, inside the church for a full service.
The company will then march back to Grove Street and the end of the parade.
The following day, Monday, November 11, members of the Armed Forces and the Royal British Legion will assemble once again for a second parade at the Cenotaph in Redditch Peace Gardens off Plymouth Road.
Gathering at 10.30am, the parade will march to the memorial where they will observe two minutes silence at 11am marking the 101st year to the minute when the guns fell silent on the Western Front and the Armistice ending the First World War was signed.
THE Alcester Poppy Appeal was launched by town Mayor Gill Forman last Saturday, October 26.
Although it was a wet day £160 was raised which will kick start the 2019 – 2020 Appeal.
Alcester Poppy Appeal Organiser David Malin said: “The 2018 – 2019 Appeal was another record breaking year with £18,500 being raised.
“This is the fifth year we have managed to top the previous totals so the pressure is on.
“But we have a fantastic team of volunteers and a very supportive community so we will be aiming for another good year.”
This Saturday, November 9 the Branch will be holding its Festival of Remembrance Concert at St Nicholas Church, starting at 7pm.
Tickets will be available on the door.
On Sunday, November 10, the Remembrance Sunday Parade and services will be held in the morning with the town centre being closed from 10am till 1pm.
On the Sunday evening at 6.50pm the Beacon will be lit by the Alcester Royal British Legion chairman Mike Gittus and the Mayor Gill Forman. All invited.
On Monday, November 11, the Branch will be holding an Armistice Day Parade and outdoor service at 10.40am ready for the Two Minute Silence at 11am.
The service will take place at St Nicholas Church.
A SECTION of the A435 through Studley will be closed on Remembrance Sunday to allow the parade and observation of the two minutes silence to take place.
The parade will assemble at 10am at the Pool Road car parking to leave at 10.20am sharp.
Arriving at the War Memorial on Alcester Road via Crooks Lane, Toms Town Lane and New Road, at 10.45am, the service will begin and the names of those local soldiers who fell in battle will be read out.
Following the playing of The Last Post there will be two minutes silence before Reveille and the placing of wreaths before the march back to Pool Road via High Street and Crooks Lane.
Between 10am and 12noon traffic closures will be in place with vehicles directed up High Street / Station Road to The Slough and vice versa.
From 1pm onwards everyone is invited back to Studley Sports and Social Club for a free afternoon event featuring two entertainers.
All money raised from the sale of tea, cakes and coffee will go to help ex-soldier Ade Stowell who was badly injured at the end of the 2018 parade and to the Royal British Legion.
