Armed Forces Day volunteer appeal
Organisers of Scarborough’s
Armed Forces Day are appealing for a battalion of volunteers to
help out.
More than 10,000 people are expected to
gather on the Foreshore for the town’s third Armed Forces Day on
Saturday 25 June.
Among the attractions will be an
aeronautical display by the renowned Blades team, a 15 minute
display of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster Bomber,
marching bands, a veterans’ parade and a host of stalls, events and
activities.
Volunteers are needed for a variety of
tasks, including collecting for the three charities supported by
this year’s Armed Forces Day – the Royal British Legion, Soldiers,
Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help and
the RNLI – as well as stewarding and marshalling duties.
Brenda Horton, who is overseeing the
charity collections on the day, said: “We have got 99 ‘collection
buckets’ so ideally I would like at least 50 charity collectors to
help out. Even if people can only spare an hour or two, it would be
an enormous help. The Armed Forces Day team wants to raise as much
money as possible for SSAFA, the RNLI and the Royal British Legion
to support the amazing work those charities carry out.”
Kathryn Duck, who is overseeing marshalling
duties on the day added: “I’m looking for around 15 volunteers to
help out with supervising and chaperoning duties and be information
points for visitors on the seafront throughout the day. Any
assistance would be gratefully received.”
Brenda can be contacted on 01723 370845,
email brennreg@aol.com; while
Kathryn can be reached on 07732 064678, email kathrynduck@btinternet.com.
This year’s Armed Forces Day is being
hosted and organised by Scarborough Borough Council, in partnership
with the Heroes Welcome initiative, South Bay Traders Association,
Royal British Legion, SSAFA Forces Help and the RNLI, with
financial support from local businessman Don Robinson’s Winston
Churchill’s Britain at War Experience in London, the Ministry of
Defence and the borough council.
Activities will centre on Foreshore Road
and are set to begin at noon, with a march by the Band of the
Yorkshire Volunteers to St Nicholas Gardens before the Mayor
officially opens the event from the balcony below.
Veterans will be presented with special
Veterans’ Badges and citations will be read out before the Blades
display takes place over Scarborough’s South Bay, with HMS Explorer
in the sea below.
The Band of the Yorkshire Volunteers are
then set to march along Foreshore Road to the RNLI boathouse, with
the Lancaster bomber display due to take place less than an hour
later.
Following that, a joint exercise at sea
between HMS Explorer, lifeboat crews serving with the Scarborough
branch of the RNLI and a Sea King helicopter is being planned.
Another highlight is also being finalised –
a parade of veterans which will be led by the Band of Yorkshire
Volunteers followed by the standards, veterans, cadets, Scouts and
Guides with the Royal British Legion Riders Branch bringing up the
rear on Harley Davidsons and Honda Goldwings. The salute will be
taken at St Nicholas Gardens.
Presentations are likely to come towards the end of the
celebrations, with Royal Navy HMS Explorer reaffirming its
allegiance to Scarborough, before a service of thanksgiving, led by
the Rev Martyn Dunning, vicar of Scarborough, takes place on the
seafront and the event draws to a close.