Mansfield District Council is set to host its annual parade to remember the fallen on Remembrance Sunday.
This year, the parade will take place on Sunday 12 November, from 10am, starting with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Civic Centre War Memorial with civic dignitaries including Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams, Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire, Col Nicholas Hile, Mansfield MP Ben Bradley and the council's Chief Executive, Adam Hill.
Joining them will be councillors, Royal British Legion representatives, Army Reservists, cadet units, ex-service associations, and voluntary organisations.
The parade begins at 10.15am from the Civic Centre, heading to St Peter and St Paul’s Church along Rosemary Street, Westfield Lane, West Gate, Market Place and Church Street. The Pipes and Drums of The Seaforth Highlanders Association will provide the marching music.
Upon arriving in the Market Place, a short service for parade participants will start around 10.40am, followed by a performance from the Mansfield Community Choir.
Joe Martin of the Mansfield branch of the Royal British Legion will then lead a two-minute silence at 11am followed by a second performance from the choir.
After the performance, the parade will regroup and return along Church Street to the Market Place for a salute in front of the Old Town Hall at noon as a final mark of respect. Poppy balloon modellers will also be in the Market Place until the event concludes at 12.15pm.
Elected Mayor Andy Abrahams said: “Remembrance is a key date within the civic calendar, and I am delighted that once again, Mansfield District Council will be hosting the Remembrance Sunday parade. I encourage as many residents as possible to come along and pay their respects to our fallen servicemen and women as we come together as one community to remember.
“Everyone is welcome to come and pay their respects to servicemen and women who lost their lives during the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts.”
The council's knitted poppy netting will be displayed on the Old Town Hall ahead of Remembrance Sunday, and lamp post poppies and silhouette soldiers will be installed around the district.
The Mayor is also due to help launch this year's Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal on 26 October and encouraged local people to support the campaign.
"The Royal British Legion does amazing and vital support work with veterans, and this appeal is their main fundraiser of the year,” he added.
People can buy a poppy from the Legion pop-up shop in the Four Seasons Shopping Centre until Saturday 11 November, and Legion volunteers will also be running street collections in the town centre.
Members of the public unable to attend in person will be able to watch the wreath-laying service, parade, and two-minute silence live on the council’s Facebook page.
The council will also mark Armistice Day on Saturday 11 November, with a small service led by Royal British Legion Chaplain Reverend Paul Bentley and a wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial on Carr Bank Park. Members of the public are welcome to join the two-minute silence held on the eleventh hour to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in service.
Remembrance Day Parade Information
For safety reasons, road closures will be in place along the following routes from 9.30am until 12.30pm. Signed diversions will be in place and access to some streets will be halted for a short time until the parade passes.
Roads affected by the closures will be:
- Rosemary Street
- Westfield Lane
- Wood Street
- West Gate
- St John Street
- Market Place
- White Hart Street
- Church Street
People attending the church service at St John's with St Mary's Church, in St John Street, will be allowed access to the church grounds but will have to remain there until the parade has passed.
The council and Royal British Legion apologise for any inconvenience caused by the road closures and appreciate the public’s cooperation and understanding at this time. For more information please visit www.mansfield.gov.uk/remembrance.
Other Remembrance events
Warsop: Warsop, Meden Vale and District branch of the Royal British Legion parade will leave Carr Lane at 10.20am on 12 November, and there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at 10.50am at Warsop War Memorial at The Carrs.
Forest Town: The Remembrance Day parade on 13 November, organised by the Royal British Legion Clipstone and Forest Town Branch, will set off at 10.15am from Forest Town Arena, Clipstone Road West, to St Alban's Church, where wreaths will be laid, followed by a service.
Mansfield Woodhouse: A Remembrance Day parade from 10.15am from the car park at Yeoman Hill Park to Priory Road, Welbeck Road, Portland Street, High Street and Church Street. The parade on 12 November will gather at the Cenotaph for wreath laying and two minutes' silence at 11am, conducted by Reverend Sue Caddy, before entering St. Edmund's Church for the service.
Pleasley Vale: A short parade from St Chad’s Church to the village war memorial on 12 November at 12.45pm followed by a wreath laying ceremony and remembrance service at the church.
Mansfield 103.2 Afternoon News - 151124
