‘Parade saw communities emerging from the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic’
Derbyshire Dales MP SARAH DINES looks back on Ashbourne’s Remembrance Sunday parade, which she attended in person this year
ON my long drive from the Derbyshire Dales down to Westminster this week I had time to reflect on the Remembrance Sunday services and parades held in Derbyshire Dales and across the country.
I try to attend as many as possible and lay wreaths at memorials when I am unable to attend in person.
I was honoured to march in the Ashbourne Remembrance Parade on Sunday which, as usual, was led by the president of the Ashbourne Royal British Legion, Brell Ewart DL, and marshalled by his stalwart team of volunteers, both in and out of uniform.
The march down to St Oswald’s Church for the service and then back up to the Memorial Gates for the laying of wreaths to commemorate those men and women who lost their lives defending our country was preceded by a band and drum beat.
The route was lined by hundreds of men, women and children of all ages with many others looking on from inside doorways and through open windows.
The array of decorations and medals on display on Sunday underlined the part the people of Derbyshire have historically played within our Armed Forces. Sadly, more and more medals are now being worn on the right-hand side of the chest of those bearing them in honour of loved ones who had since passed away.
Our Remembrance Sunday parades bring out the very best within our United Kingdom.they are what bind us together as a people and country. They are intergenerational, attended by veterans of the Second World War in wheelchairs through to babies in prams.
It was good to see so many young families and children present in the parade, along the route and at the Memorial Gates.
The cadets, Scouts, Girl Guides, Brownies and other youth organisations were actively involved, not only on the day but also in Poppy Appeal fund-raising. The importance of Remembrance Sunday must be passed on down to the new generations. I was moved to see a grandmother who was present at the Memorial Gates with her family explaining the meaning of Remembrance and the wreaths to her grandchildren. I was very pleased to learn of the great work being done by Stuart Lees and his great volunteers at the Ashbourne Ex-servicemen’s Club in distributing interactive Remembrance Day materials to local schools, and hearing of the great response by the children to the club’s art competition for the best coloured-in Remembrance design.
The entries are displayed inside the club: I noticed that one young constituent’s commendable entry described himself as being aged “six and a bit”.
The Ex-servicemen’s Club is at the heart both of
Ashbourne’s Royal British Legion and Ashbourne itself. We must all support this club. It works hard to keep our community spirit alive. This year’s Remembrance Sunday parade was also significant in that it also marked our communities emerging from the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has been likened to wartime. It is certainly true the response to Covid-19 has brought out the best within our people. Unconditional community spirit, checking on neighbours, community support for our elderly and those shielding as well as for our key workers and local businesses remaining open to provide local lifelines showed how we all pulled together in a time of unprecedented crisis.
The importance of Remembrance Sunday must be passed on down to the new generations.