Plan to ‘live stream’ covid-safe remembrance service in Sleaford church

With the main poppy parade and Market Place event on Remembrance Sunday being cancelled this year by the Sleaford and district branch of the Royal British Legion, organisers are putting arrangements in place to ensure our fallen heroes are still remembered on November 8.

Branch chairman Clive Candlin explained: “The safety and wellbeing of the public, our members and all of the organisations that take part has been paramount in our thoughts whilst coming to this decision. We understand that this will be a major disappointment to the many people who take part in the parade and the people of Sleaford, for whom it has been a major part of the town events calendar for generations.”

Instead, complying with Covid-19 guidelines, there will be a Remembrance and wreath laying service in St Denys’ Church which will be severely restricted to comply with church rules imposed by the pandemic.

Maj Candlin said: “There will be no service in the Market Square, as this would be impossible to control safely, but arrangements are being made to ‘stream’ the service live on the internet (signal willing), with details on how to access it to be issued when it is arranged. It is hoped that the people of Sleaford understand why this is having to happen.”

The Sleaford Standard is partnering with the Legion to broadcast the remembrance and wreath laying ceremony on the internet via our Facebook Live page.

Members of the military and veterans organisations will be asked to bring their standard and bearer, along with one wreath layer, to take part in the service, which will be a ticketed event.

Maj Candlin added: “Members of the general public and other organisations who wish to lay a wreath may do so, after the official wreath laying, but safety must always be uppermost in your minds and the rules relating to face coverings and social distancing must be adhered to, and I ask that you bear this in mind and do not turn out in the massive numbers that has been the custom in normal times. These are not normal times.”

Anyone wishing to obtain a wreath should visit the Royal British Legion website (www.britishlegion.org.uk) and place orders as early as possible.