‘Lockdown mark 2’…… so our planned ‘Ridwares Remembers’ event at the Village Hall could not take place…. Wendy & Karen worked very hard to ensure that the area around ‘Tommy’ was suitably adorned with poppies as a fitting tribute to The Fallen & all who served both at home & abroad. Still, nothing could be organised that might encourage ‘mingling’!
But something very heartwarming & truly fitting to the spirit of Remembrance happened organically instead. Our President, Karen Wakefield, arranged for wreaths to be laid at the foot of Tommy on behalf of not only The Ridwares WI, but the Village Hall, the Parish Council & St Nicholas Church. …
Then, Jonathan volunteered to sound The Last Post & Reveille on his trumpet & suggested that he would be outside the Village Hall…
Facebook messages talked about standing at ‘the WI memorial’ (ie. ‘Tommy’), rather than just on the doorstep……
On Remembrance Sunday, people organically gathered on the pavements around the Village Hall & the WI garden area … socially distanced of course. 11am saw traffic stopped and many villagers standing together to observe the 2 minute silence. Karen read the Benyon lines, Jonathan sounded the Last Post & Reveille, & wreaths were laid.
A moving Act of Remembrance in this year of challenge.
