South Holland pays its respects

South Holland is set to remember those that have sacrificed their lives in armed conflicts as part of the Armistice commemorations.

As ever, there are a number of events taking place in the area.

• On Armistice Day itself (Friday, November 11) the Spalding branch of the Royal British Legion’s commemorations begin with a parade and service led by Rev. John Bennett at Springfields, muster at 10.30am at the front of the shopping mall.

lThe following day, Saturday, November 12, a short service will take place in Spalding Cemetery at 10.30am.

It will see the RBL and cadets place crosses onto the graves of the fallen.

• Spalding town centre has already been decked in poppies ahead of the Remembrance Sunday Parade.
  Ayscoughfee Gardens will be filled with families and friends joining representative detachments of serving men and women from all over Lincolnshire.

Rev John Bennett and his choir will be singing beautifully to the crowds and a two-minute silence will give everyone a chance to remember the sacrifices made on our behalf over the years. Wreaths and crosses will be laid from organisations and their families.

Everyone’s welcome to join in the RBL marches. Anyone wishing to lay a wreath at the services can email organiser Jan Whitbourn on jan@tulip-events.co.uk

• There are two separate events in Holbeach on Sunday, November 13.

• After a success last year, fundraiser Harold Payne is bringing back his Holbeach People’s Remembrance Parade.

People can meet at the Anglia Motel from 8am, before moving to Holbeach Community Centre leaving there at around 9.30am to get to the war memorial at 10am.

The Peterborough Pipe Band will be performing in the lead up to 11am.
Afterwards there’s a poppy drop by aeroplanes taking place at 1.30pm.

• Holbeach’s regular Sunday afternoon Remembrance Parade returns this year.

It will muster at 2pm from the Service’s Club on Church Street for a 2.15pm set off for All Saints’ Church where a service of remembrance will take place at 2.30pm.

Holbeach Parish Council vice chairman Sophie Hutchinson said: “We have been working closely with the Holbeach branch of the RBL and All Saints’ Church to mark this act of remembrance.

“This year we have decided a clear priority will be made for military organisations in the order of both the parade and the wreath laying ceremony, as we feel this is the most appropriate.

“If you are serving, ex-military or a community organisation that wishes to join the parade please email clerk@holbeachpc.com”.

• Long Sutton Royal British Legion are holding a short service at 10.45am on Armistice Day before a parade on Remembrance Sunday leaving the church hall at 1.45pm to gather at the war memorial at 2pm.

The Royal British Legion Hall will be open for tea and coffee afterwards.

• Pinchbeck too will have a service on Armistice Day at 10.45am which will involve school children reciting poems and laying crosses.

It’s followed on Remembrance Sunday by the village’s Royal British Legion branches’ parade marching from the village hall at 10.30am.

The church service will this year see the blessing of poppy and other seeds as a sign of remembrance which will then be sowed at the church to provide a memorial for years to come.

The parade will march back to the hall while taking the salute en-route, though the church will remain open until 1.30pm with proceeds from tea and coffee donated to the Poppy Appeal.

• The following week, on Saturday, November 19, there will be a celebration at Whaplode St Catherine’s Memorial Hall, will include a service in the hall.

• On Sunday, November 20 another service will take place at Weston Hills Church at 3pm. Some people will be going to The Swan at Moulton, for lunch beforehand. If you would like to go call them, there is a table reserved for 40 but you must ring them first.

• Stagecoach is offering free travel for armed forces personnel, cadets and veterans on November 11 and 13.