Shropshire celebrates Armed Forces Day
Shropshire is today celebrating Armed Forces Day with residents and businesses joining in the celebration of our Armed Forces community.
Across Shropshire local organisations and groups have been pledging their support through events and special offers for our Armed Forces community.
To show its appreciation of the Armed Forces, including regulars, reserves, veterans and cadets as well as their families, Telford & Wrekin Council will fly the Armed Forces Flag from the roof of Addenbrooke House in Telford. The Council is also encouraging town and parish councils and businesses to do the same.
Councillor Kevin Guy, Member Champion for Veterans and Armed Forces who served in the Royal Navy, said: “Armed Forces Day provides an opportunity for everyone to say thank you, no matter how big, or small, to Armed Forces personnel and their families in the borough and further afield. We will be ‘Flying the Flag’ and encourage you to join us.”
Shropshire Council have also joined other local authorities across the country and raised the Armed Forces Day flag in a display of its support of Shropshire’s Armed Forces community.
As patrons of the Community Covenant, Shropshire Council supports Armed Forces Day each year – just one of many ways it demonstrates its strong relationship with Shropshire’s Armed Forces community.
Tim Barker, Shropshire Councillor responsible for the Armed Forces Covenant, said: “Shropshire has a long history with the Armed Forces with several military bases being located in the county so Shropshire Council is delighted to offer its support for Armed Forces Day.”
David Fairclough, Armed Forces Covenant Co-ordinator for Shropshire Council, said: “Shropshire Council signed the Armed Forces Community Covenant in 2012 and have supported Armed Forces Day ever since. The county has a strong military heritage so we’re delighted to be prolonging and strengthening our relationship with the county’s military community.
“Armed Forces Day provides people with the ideal opportunity to thank and show support to our Armed Forces community.”
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will once again celebrate the contributions made by Her Majesty's Armed Forces, by hosting an orchestra concert and a Hurricane flypast.
The highly decorated Glebe Symphonic Winds Orchestra will be performing for veterans, serving personnel and visitors alike, in an hour long concert. This intimate musical performance will have a very British theme with classical pieces from Edward Elgar and Gustav Holst, mixed up with more modern music from Elton John and David Bowie!
The concert will take place in the museum's National Cold War Exhibition Auditorium which seats 200 guests. As places are limited, the Glebe Symphonic Winds will be performing twice, at 1.00pm and again at 2.15pm, allowing up to 400 visitors to enjoy their harmonious renditions. Attendance to the concert is free of charge and anyone interested in attending is asked to pre-register now via the museum’s website in order to guarantee their place.
In addition to performances from one of the UK’s leading orchestras, organisers have lined-up a flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane at 3.20pm (weather permitting). This icon of the Second World War will be flying overhead at Cosford and is sure to be popular with visitors young and old.
Abi Betteridge, RAF Museum Cosford Public Events Manager said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming back the Glebe Symphonic Winds Orchestra for our Armed Forces Day event. Their performances truly have the wow factor and we are confident that visitors will have a memorable day. To top it off, we have a flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane which will be a real treat for our guests and all visitors to the Museum. Spaces to the concert are limited and are filling up fast, so we would advise anyone wanting to be part of the day to book soon.”
