Sleaford area prepares to remember the Great War with buglers, bells, a cry and a bench

Sleaford area communities will be joining in a series of national events marking the Armistice centenary on Sunday
Sleaford Town Crier John Griffiths will be joining in A Cry For Peace. EMN-180611-113450001Sleaford Town Crier John Griffiths will be joining in A Cry For Peace. EMN-180611-113450001
Sleaford Town Crier John Griffiths will be joining in A Cry For Peace. EMN-180611-113450001

Battle’s Over takes place on November 11 throughout the UK and overseas.

It begins at 6am with over 1,000 lone pipers playing Battle’s O’er, a traditional Scottish air played after a battle, at various locations, and a specially written tribute will be read out.

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At 6.55pm buglers will sound the Last Post at more than 1,000 locations, where at 7pm Beacons of Light will be lit, including at Metheringham, in a tribute signifying the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of four years of war.

The commemorative poppy bench outside Sleaford Town hall. EMN-180611-113942001The commemorative poppy bench outside Sleaford Town hall. EMN-180611-113942001
The commemorative poppy bench outside Sleaford Town hall. EMN-180611-113942001

Metheringham Parish Council chairman, Coun Sally Wilson, said: “We are proud to be playing a part in this historic international event to commemorate the centenary of the end of the Great War, and to recognise the contribution and sacrifice made by the men and women from our own community.”

Timberland will also join in the Last Post sounding at Bayfield Road in the village followed by commemorations at St Andrew’s Church.

Then at 7.05pm over 1,000 churches and cathedrals, including Silk Willoughby and Heckington, will ring their bells as part of Ringing Out for Peace organised in association with the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. The same team of Sleaford ringers will have already rung muffled bells at St Denys’ Church in town from 9am-9.30am before morning service, followed at 12.30-12.45pm with a quarter peal of bells in celebration of the end of the war.

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Also at 7.05pm, Sleaford Town Crier, John Griffiths, will be in the tonw’s Market Place, as one of more than 140 town criers to perform a specially written Cry for Peace at locations across the globe.

The plaque to the 72 William Alvey School pupils who died in the Great War. EMN-180611-114417001The plaque to the 72 William Alvey School pupils who died in the Great War. EMN-180611-114417001
The plaque to the 72 William Alvey School pupils who died in the Great War. EMN-180611-114417001

A display of artwork by school children will be on display at St Denys’ Church to commemorate the centenary. A prayer station has been set up alongside the display.

Started as a colouring competition for the church’s Winter Fair, different age groups coloured six WW1 themed pictures.

Alison Wickstead from the church has collected information about the names on the town memorial, adding this to the colouring designs.

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Sleaford Town Council agreed to a recommendation to purchase a memorial bench, featuring poppies and silhouettes of soldiers, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The bench was chosen from styles made by a number of suppliers and after some debate it was agreed to put it outside the Town Hall in Navigation Yard.