picture of poppy field
We have received a letter from the Parish Council to say that they have decided to organise the Remembrance Sunday Ceremony in such a way that it will culminate with a Civic Service in the Market Place at 11am, as opposed to the “sometime around noon” as has been the way in recent years.
This decision has been taken following a public meeting in March, and subsequent discussions with representatives of the Parish Church, who felt that the appropriate place for the service was in the Parish Church, and that the laying of wreaths should take place after the Church Service.
We believe it is a shame that the Church Authorities could not agree to amending their service to incorporate “11am at the cenotaph” as is done at the majority of War Memorials throughout the UK.
It seems obvious that the Remembrance Ceremony should be held at the War Memorial, as simply put a great many of those who served and died were not Church of England, but of other persuasions or with no religious belief and that they (and perhaps their relatives) would feel uncomfortable with the “Church” part of the service.
Therefore we welcome an “inclusive” ceremony that will, hopefully, mean we shall not be seeing elderly people standing by the War Memorial waiting from before 11am until after noon on cold November Sundays from this year (Sun 8th November) onwards.
PRESS RELEASE
CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH PARISH COUNCIL
REMEMBRANCE DAY 2009
We met with the Parochial Church Council on the 27th August in an endeavour to bring all persons of our Town together in an Act of Remembrance at the Town’s War Memorial at 11am on Remembrance Sunday, recognising that there are many different faiths and beliefs represented in our community.
We regret that the 6 members of the Parochial Church Council and the one Church Warden voted not to accept the request from the Parish Council for the Remembrance Day Service to start at 9.45 and finish in time to allow the two minutes silence to be observed at the Town’s War Memorial on the Market Place at 11.00am.
We are very disappointed that we have not been able to convince the Parochial Church Council to follow the requests from very many residents of the Town, for this to happen, but having now spent well over five and a half hours in meetings, and very many telephone calls and despite the joint statement signed by our Chairman and the President of the Chapel Branch of the Royal British Legion our efforts have been in vain.
Our Chairman and some members of the Council will be at the Town’s War Memorial on the Market Place at 11.00am on Remembrance Sunday for a personal act of remembrance.
If you do not wish to take part in the Church Service please feel free to join us on the Market Place.
We will not be holding a Civic Service, but as stated, a personal act of remembrance will take place with the two minutes silence at 11.00am, followed by laying of any wreaths and hopefully placing ‘Crosses of Remembrance’ at the War Memorial in respect of fallen relatives or friends or indeed for those members of the Armed Forces who have died in past and ongoing conflicts.
For and on behalf of Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council.
Councillor Guy Martin
Chairman
Mrs SE Stockdale
Clerk of the Council