Support the Poppy Appeal this year

TOMORROW is Armistice

Day – the 11th day of the 11th month – and the day we all pause at 11am to remember the fallen of two world wars and other armed conflicts.

This will be followed on Sunday by one of the biggest Remembrance Day parades in Derbyshire, and we have the details of both of these events in this week’s paper.

Do make sure you attend to show your respects.

Traditionally there’s always something of a wide gap between Remembrance Day and the beginning of the Christmas festivities, and rightly so.

But this year Christmas seems to be arriving earlier than ever, even in our shops.

Chatsworth has its Christmas market in full swing, Christmas turkey orders are being taken, many people will have already booked their Christmas meals in our pubs and restaurants.

It’s all shaping up to be a booming season ahead for our small businesses.

And this year it has perhaps never been so important that the Christmas season goes well.

With the worst effects of the pandemic now (hopefully) behind us, we can look forward to a time of celebration, togetherness and relative normality.

So this year perhaps the Grinches among us should overlook the fact the fairly lights have already started to twinkle, and the baubles are starting to appear.

This year we need a good Christmas.

We didn’t really get one at all last year.

So this year, once we’ve all carried out our acts of remembrance, and we’ve supported the Poppy Appeal, let’s let our attentions turn to the festive season, and start our Christmas shopping.

And please, for the sake of all our independent retailers, do as much of it as you possibly can in Ashbourne.