Wasps honour for old soldiers
ARMISTICE DAY MEMBERS INVITED TO HOLD SILENCE BEFORE WASPS GAME AT RICOH
PROUD Bedworth Armistice Day committee members and old soldiers will take to the pitch prior to a huge rugby match to pay homage to the fallen.
They have been invited by Wasps RFC to lead the two minutes’ silence before the Anglo-Welsh Cup game against Newcastle Falcons at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
They will first form a guard of honour for the players and then take to the field to hold a two minutes’ silence accompanied by Standard Bearers.
Ken Whitehead, chair of the committee, said: “We are delighted to have been asked and invited along,” he said. “It is a huge honour for us.”
Wasps RFC have once again swarmed in to lend their support for the historic parade, which will be held on Saturday, November 11 in Bedworth town centre.
They will be sending along stewards to help at the event as well as two big name players, Tom Cruse and Alex Rieder, to join in the poignant service. The club has donated 4,000 tickets to the Aviva Premiership match against Newcastle on Saturday, November 18 for the committee to give away.
“What a wonderful gesture,” Ken said.
“They know that we are largest parade in England and, being just three miles away, they have shown incredible generosity towards us. We are so grateful.”
Bumper crowds are expected to line the streets of the town as the event this year falls on a Saturday.
“We know we might get people who would normally be at work coming, as it is on a Saturday,” the chair added. “Normally we get the schools coming along, and we hope that continues, we have sent letters out to all of the schools.”
Acts of generosity have come from across the community including Bedworth Haulage company stepping in to provide blockades on the roads following a request from the police. But, sadly, this year, has also been tinged with disappointment.
The committee had hoped to release doves of peace release after the two minutes’ main island silence close from to the the Coventry Road cemetery. But health and safety regulations had put paid to it. “We wanted a doves of peace release at the island but the insurance was just too much for them,” he said. “It is health and safety gone mad, you couldn’t make it up.” in County Another the form Council by blow Warwickshire funding drying has come up. provided always “The county supported council us, has but this year they haven’t, it is a disgrace really,” Ken said. “We would rob a bank to make sure that this event would go ahead. It is just a shame that the council is no longer supporting us.”