Special Battle of Britain parade to take place in Melton on Sunday

1279 (Melton Mowbray) Squadron Air Cadets, of the Royal Air Force Air Training Corps, make their way into the Memorial Gardens during the Battle of Britain parade in Melton last year EMN-180913-163509001

The event is the annual Battle of Britain commemoration parade, which this year will also include a church service to commemorate the landmark milestone.

Melton RAFA branch secretary, Brenda Cox, said: “We hope as many people as possible will take the time to come and watch this special event and that any ex-RAF personnel will join in the parade itself as they will be most welcome.

“Volunteers will be marching alongside the parade with collection buckets should the public wish to donate to the Wings Appeal, which provides welfare facilities to serving and ex-serving RAF personnel and their families.”

This year’s parade will follow the same longer route used for the traditional Remembrance Sunday event every November.

Melton Toy Soldiers Marching Band will lead participants off from Chapel Street at 10am, marching along King Street, Sage Cross Street, turning into Sherrard Street and then into Leicester Street.

The party will then proceed left to Church Street before making their way to St Mary’s Church for a special service of dedication led by Rev Kevin Ashby.

Standards and wreaths will be presented at the altar and after the service, at around 11.30am, the parade will reform in Burton Street and march off into the Market Place, where the salute will be taken by Air Commodore Andrew Griffin (Retd).

He will be joined by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Col Richard Hurwood, the High Sheriff of Leicestershire, The Mayor of Melton, Councillor Pru Chandler, Senior Town Warden, John Southerington, and the Melton RAFA branch president.

The parade will continue down Leicester Street into the Memorial Gardens, where wreaths will be laid from all the organisations taking part.

This part of the event will be led by RAFAC Padre John Hewer with the Last Post and reveille being sounded before the party is dismissed.

Collections for the Wings Appeal are being made outside the town branch of Morrisons this week, and at Tesco on Sunday September 23.

There will be also street collections and a stall in the market on Saturday, where visitors will be able to buy RAF100 and Wings pin badges, plane badges, wrist bands, small cuddly bears and the latest ducks.