Residents in North Lincolnshire are being encouraged to ‘remember from home’ this year by taking part in a doorstep silence and displaying poppies in their windows.
The Remembrance 2020 plans are designed to honour those that have served past and present.
It comes as the parade and service which usually attracts a large crowd of people at the Cenotaph in Scunthorpe has been postponed until next year to meet Covid-19 social distancing guidelines.
Cllr Rob Waltham, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said:
“We will continue to commemorate and thank our armed forces for all that they do to protect us, albeit in a different way this Remembrance Day.
“To ensure our veterans and residents stay safe, we are asking people to remember at home this year, showing their support by holding a two-minute silence on their doorstep.
“At the same time we are asking residents to check on their neighbours, Covid has taught us a great deal about how we all must contribute towards the community we want to live in.
“As winter approaches, checking on our neighbours, making an extra meal, shopping for our older and more vulnerable residents should become second nature to us all. Being a good neighbour costs nothing, a kind word, a good deed.
“All those who fought in two world wars did so to give us the freedoms we have today, let us use those freedoms to support those who need it at this time.”
North Lincolnshire Council, along with representatives from the Royal British Legion Scunthorpe Branch, are asking people to honour our Armed Forces and remember from home, with a two-minute doorstep silence observed at 11am on Remembrance Sunday on 8 November.
The silence will be observed on the council’s social media channels and there will be posts throughout the day remembering our local and national heroes, who have served in the past and those that serve today.
Church Square in Scunthorpe will be lit up in red for remembrance from 8 November to 11 November and the Mayor of North Lincolnshire Cllr Jonathon Evison will privately lay a wreath in remembrance, alongside a representative from the Royal British Legion branch and 146 Divisional Support Company REME.
Cllr Evison said:
“We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to our armed forces, who have given, and continue to give so much to our country.
“Laying a wreath is a matter of great personal privilege to me, and while we cannot come together in person this year, I know people across North Lincolnshire will join me by honour the sacrifices of our armed forces from their own homes.”
The Royal British Legion have several ways of supporting Remembrance Day, which you can find on the Royal British Legion website. These include a poppy template which can be coloured in and displayed in your window at home. There are also many items you can purchase in the Royal British Legion Poppy Shop to further support the 2020 poppy appeal.
Ken Lloyd, President of the Royal British Legion, Scunthorpe, said
“Although we cannot remember together in person this year, it is important to consider that in every act of remembrance, we honour the memory of the fallen and pledge to care for the living.
“Please join our two minute silence and support our poppy appeal, paying tribute to our Armed Forces heroes who gave the most so we could live our today.
“We will remember them.”
