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Armed Forces Day 2012 - our 'Heroes Welcome'
The Heroes
Welcome scheme, launched in Scarborough in 2008 by retired
Territorial Army Major John Senior and now recognised in towns all
over the country, will be playing a big role in this year’s Armed
Forces Day in the town this Saturday (23 June).
Representatives from Heroes Welcome will
again be hosting Armed Forces personnel and their families, with a
Military Families Reception Tent to be located at the entrance to
West Pier. Complementary hosting packs will be given to members of
the Armed Forces and their partners which include a resort map,
vouchers for free ice creams and discounted entry to many
attractions.
The “welcome” is also open to people whose
spouse or partner is currently serving abroad – those people are
asked to take along some ID as proof of service, perhaps a letter
from the Unit Commander or Families Officer. Military personnel
will also be available to offer assistance on the day should it be
required.
Heroes Welcome, which is free to join,
encourages businesses and individuals to give a warm welcome to
forces personnel visiting their area. From modest beginnings the
scheme has been adopted by towns, cities and districts across the
UK and has even been launched in the Falkland Islands.
On 11 November – Armistice Day – in 2011
Hampshire became the first official county member to join, followed
in March last year by North Yorkshire County Council.
The Falklands launch coincides with the
30th anniversary of the liberation of the island being commemorated
this year with a number of special events.
The local scheme coordinator is also
Speaker of the Islands Assembly, the Hon Keith Biles who said: “We
are very pleased to be associated with Heroes Welcome and very much
appreciate the sacrifices that have made in the past. We in the
Falklands are proud of our long association with the Armed Forces
and adopting this scheme will allow us to reinforce that message of
open support.”
John Senior, who raised thousands of pounds
for charity after serving in Afghanistan, said: “We are delighted
and privileged that Heroes Welcome is now up and running in the
Falklands and will be a constant reminder of the special
relationship that exists between the Islanders and members of the
British Armed Forces.”
For more information about
Heroes Welcome, visit http://www.heroeswelcome.co.uk/
or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_Welcome_UK