Remembering the fallen

Royal British Legion members in south Warwickshire are preparing to be joined by thousands as they mark Remembrance Sunday this weekend.

Following on from Remembrance Day services around the area yesterday, branches in Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth and Southam have organised parades to take place in all four towns on Sunday.

As well as legion members themselves, present and former armed service personnel, cadets, Scouts, Girl Guides, firefighters, representatives from St John Ambulance and people from other organisations in the area will take part in the march-pasts and remembrance services, to which everyone is invited to attend.

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Long-serving poppy collectors will be recognised with awards at ceremonies following the parades, while in Kenilworth, there will also be an exchange of certificates to mark the affiliation between the Kenilworth Royal British Legion branch and 469 (Balsall Common) squadron of the air training corps.

John Shaw, chairman of the legion’s Warwick branch, said: “Usually we get around 350 to 400 taking part and thousands of spectators.

“The Royal British Legion is involved in welfare all year round but this is the most important event of the year because it brings everything we do to people’s notice.”

For the past few weeks, poppy-sellers have been hard at work raising funds for the charity, which nationally is aiming to raise £36 million to go towards supporting armed forces personnel who have served or are serving in Afghanistan and their families.

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The organisation has also pledged to contribute £25 million during the next ten years to the Ministry of Defence’s ‘recovery capability’ fund for injured service personnel.

In Leamington, more than £3,000 was raised on the first day alone of the branch’s poppy appeal, which was launched at the Royal Priors.

People can buy poppies in all four towns until Sunday.

A civic party will lead a procession from Leamington town hall at 10.50am to the war memorial in Euston Place, where there will be a two minutes’ silence at 11am and remembrance service.

In Warwick, there will be a service at St Mary’s church at 10am and another at the war memorial at 11am. A march-past will go from the memorial to the courthouse in Jury Street, where there will be a reception and presentation.

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The parade in Kenilworth starts at the Royal British Legion club in Park Road at 10.15pm and ends at the war memorial at Abbey Hill, where there will be a ceremony and laying of wreaths, followed by a reception and presentation at the club.

In Southam, the march-past leaves Wood Street car park at 10.15am and ends at St James’ church, where there will be a service and laying of wreaths.