Hundreds turn out for Remembrance Day parades
BRIGHT sunshine encouraged hundreds of people to turn out for the annual Remembrance Day parades in Hucknall and Bulwell on Sunday (November 8).
The Hucknall procession, led by members of the award-winning Newstead Brass band, followed its usual route from Hucknall Market Place along High Street to the cenotaph in the town's Titchfield Park.
Several wreaths laid at the Titchfield Park cenotaph included one for Hucknall soldier Lance-Corporal Paul 'Sandy' Sandford, who was killed while on duty in Afghanistan in June 2007.
His name is written on a new marble memorial where the wreath was laid by Paul's mother, Jane.
Another Hucknall soldier, Lance-Corporal Nick Chauntry, who was injured in Afghanistan, was also at the ceremony.
Two weeks earlier, L-Cpl Chauntry had the honour of receiving the first poppy of the year when the Hucknall branch of the Royal British Legion launched their 2009 Poppy Appeal.
Among those who attended the service were Hucknall's soon-to-retire Labour MP Paddy Tipping, as well as present and former councillors for the town.
The traditional address was given by the Rev Tom Irvine, minister of Hucknall's Farleys Grove United Reformed Church and a United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) member of Notts County Council.
Mr Irvine said the reason for Remembrance Day was to honour men and women who had sacrificed their lives for this country in the two great wars and other conflicts over many years.
But he stressed that the growing number of British troops who were being killed in Afghanistan had added much poignancy to this year's commemoration, making it even more personally felt.
Mr Irvine added: "The onus on all of us is to work and pray for a country worthy of their great sacrifice."
BULWELL'S parade again began from the car park of Oakleigh Lodge Social Club and was led by Nottinghamshire Police Pipe Band.
The route passed Poppy's flower shop on Highbury Road where a special display incorporating a union flag and a mini-cenotaph had been arranged.
Two power-point presentations were a novel feature of the annual service in St Mary's Church.
They depicted images of war to music from Mozart's Requiem Mass and John Taverner's setting of William Blake's poem, 'The Lamb'.
The priest-in-charge, the Rev Andy Nicoll, said: "The killing of another person is of enormous significance.
"But the role of the established Church is not to criticise the government or make a political statement. It is to speak out and remind the nation of God's word revealed in scripture.
"Jesus was not a pacifist and he showed us that dying for others is the greatest sacrifice a human being can make."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hucknall
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
