Melton residents advised to stay at home to mark Remembrance Sunday

Melton town centre every year reverberates to the sound of the annual parade but there will be no massed crowds on the streets this year and no procession of veterans, serving military personnel, Royal British Legion members, Scouts and a marching band.

The traditional service of remembrance in St Mary’s Church has also been cancelled this year with the need to socially distance and with the risk that many ‘at risk’ elderly people would have attended.

What does remain, however, is a simple open-air service in the Memorial Gardens at Egerton Lodge for invited guests only.

Officials at Melton Borough Council have worked closely with members of the town branch of the Legion and other partners to ensure the event can take place safely from 10.45am, led by Melton team rector, the Rev Kevin Ashby.

Members of the public will be able to watch the live service remotely on the borough council’s Facebook page and the authority says photos from the service will be published across social media after the event.

Mayor of Melton, Councillor Malise Graham, said: “We are immensely proud of our armed forces past and present and we understand that our residents want to honour those who have served and sacrificed for their country.

“It is however vital that we protect our veterans and residents and continue to follow the government guidance.

“We encourage our communities to join in this year by observing the two-minute silence at home, hosting their own virtual remembrance services or tuning in to our live stream of the event.”

The Royal British Legion has this year shared various ways residents can commemorate Remembrance Sunday safely from their homes this year, including hosting virtual services, planting a commemorative garden or getting involved with the Poppy Appeal, which has been moved online for 2020.

People are also encouraged to download a picture of a poppy from the legion website at www.britishlegion.org.uk which can then be coloured in and displayed in windows.

The borough council’s Parkside offices are currently being lit red after dark in tribute to the Poppy Appeal and this will last until Armistice Day on Wednesday November 11.

This year’s Poppy Appeal in Melton, which traditionally raises around £25,000 for serving and former members of the armed forcs and their families, has also had to be reconfigured this year.

Many of the usual collectors are in the vulnerable age range for Covid infection so they will be unable to sell poppies around the town and villages.

A stall was to have been set up in Market Place on Saturday but that has now been cancelled because of lockdown.

Supermarkets will be selling poppies, though, and residents can also buy them online from the legion website.

Poppy Appeal organiser for Melton, Stuart Taylor, told the Melton Times: “I want to get the message across to people that every poppy counts this year.

“Without people getting them from the supermarkets there would be barely any money coming in this year so please buy one if you can.”

***A planned remembrance service at The 10th Battalion Memorial, at Burrough on the Hill, on Sunday, has been cancelled.

A small number of supporters had planned to gather but it was decided it should not go ahead after discussions with Padre, Brian McAvoy.

There are plans to film a short service at the memorial for members to watch online and on the group’s Facebook page on Sunday.