Here is a round-up of what is happening in Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth for Remembrance services

Remembrance Day and the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal are being done differently this year.

Due to the pandemic and the second national lockdown many services and events are being cancelled or changed.

Here is a round-up of what is happening in Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth.

LEAMINGTON

Leamington’s Remembrance Sunday service has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A social distanced service was due to take place on November 8 at the war memorial.

But due to the new lockdown restrictions, set to start on Thursday, Leamington Town Council said: “It is with great regret that due to the imminent country wide lockdown, Royal Leamington Spa Town Council, in consultation with partners, have taken the decision to cancel the memorial wreath laying for Remembrance Sunday.

“We are encouraging the public to observe the two minute silence from home on their doorstep to keep safe whilst honouring those who died fighting for us all.

“If you do still intend to lay a wreath, please ensure you comply with social distancing rules and keep

safe.”

Leamington Mayor Cllr Susan Rasmussen said: “The Leamington Town Council, in consultation with partners, have made the tough decision to cancel this year’s Remembrance Sunday service due to the ongoing pandemic.

“We realise that this is disappointing, but our priority at this time must be to keep people safe in their home environment.

“We are encouraging people to take part in the two-minute doorstep silence to recognise all those who served and sacrificed, from the safety of their homes.

WARWICK

Usually for Remembrance Day the community is urged to join councillors and dignitaries for the services but this year residents are being ask to pay their respects from home.

Cllr Terry Morris said: “Remembrance Sunday is a significant event in Warwick’s Civic Diary and, as this year’s Mayor, I was very much looking forward to representing the town of Warwick as we pay our respects.

“Coronavirus restrictions had already seen this year’s service being considerably scaled back.

“Now, as we enter national lockdown, Warwick Town Council have taken the decision to cancel the outside service and wreath laying for Remembrance Sunday on November 8 and Armistice on November 11.

“I will still lay a wreath at the war memorial of behalf of the residents of Warwick.

“However, we ask residents to not come to the memorial and to observe a two-minute silence of their doorsteps at 11am instead.”

The Warwick branch of the Royal British Legion recently launched its annual Poppy Appeal and are looking for the communities’ support.

Like many other charities the Royal British Legion is facing difficult fundraising conditions due to the pandemic.

The team had a stall at the market in Warwick recently, where they were joined by the Mayor of Warwick.

Cllr Terry Morris, Mayor of Warwick, said: “It was a pleasure to spend a few hours on Saturday supporting the Warwick Branch of the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) 2020 Poppy Appeal.

“In a normal year, I’d join the team of “tin rattlers” collecting throughout Warwick in the run up to Remembrance Sunday.

“However, the RBL made the decision nationally to not collect in the regular way and the lack of the usual 250 plus collection tins in and around Warwick will see a significant drop in funds raised.”

KENILWORTH

This year's Remembrance Service in Kenilworth has been cancelled.

As of yesterday (Thursday), the town council was hoping that the service will still go ahead - but last night it said it has come to the difficult decision to ask people to pay their respects from home.

A spokesperson for Kenilworth Town Council said: "In the past few weeks Kenilworth Town Council in close partnership with the Kenilworth branch of the Royal British Legion and the clergy at St Nicholas Church have done a huge amount of work to try to organise a COVID-safe Annual Service of Remembrance at Kenilworth’s war memorial.

"Many iterations of the plan had been produced including, most recently, a small wreath-laying event to be live-streamed online.

"However, it is with great regret that due to the current COVID-19 situation this week, the town council, in consultation today with partner organisations, local councils and the police, have taken the decision to cancel the war memorial wreath-laying Service of Remembrance this year.

"The Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Richard Dickson and Cllr George Illingworth, Chairman of the Royal British Legion Branch, will still ensure that the wreaths are laid at the War Memorial.

Instead of a formal event at the war memorial this year the council encourages people to take part in the two-minute silence at 11am on Sunday November 8 from the safety of their home doorstep. In this way it will still be possible for residents to remember all those people whose lives have been taken in war and violent conflict and those who work to build and sustain peace."

Announcing this change in plan, Cllr Richard Dickson, Mayor of Kenilworth, said: "Obviously it’s very sad to have to cancel the event at the war memorial which is one of the town’s best-attended community events. However, given the COVID-19 situation and the very recent cancellation of similar events in Leamington and Warwick, the very clear advice has been that we must also cancel our event in Kenilworth. I know people in Kenilworth will still observe two minutes’ silence on their doorsteps and I thank the local Royal British Legion for all their efforts to try to make this event possible."

Cllr George Illingworth, chairman of the Kenilworth Branch of the Royal British Legion, added: “Remembrance Sunday has always been a big event in Kenilworth attracting large crowds and demonstrating the profound recognition by the residents of the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces over the years. It was obvious that a similar event was out of the question this year and the Legion worked with the town council and St Nicholas parish church to plan a suitably modified one. However in view of the current Covid situation it would be quite wrong for us to go ahead as the only local event which could attract people.

"The organisations in Kenilworth have been as generous as ever in providing wreaths to pay tribute to the dead and we will ensure that they are all laid on the War Memorial.

"Next year sees the centenary of the formation of the British Legion and Kenilworth Branch was a founder member. Let us hope that we are able to commemorate in the usual way next November For those who wish to donate to the Kenilworth Poppy Appeal – please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kenilworthrbl."