Coventry is remembering the fallen in conflicts with a series of events taking place throughout the next 2 weeks
These include this Sunday’s Remembrance Service and Parade in the War Memorial Park and next week’s Blitz 85th commemoration events.
The London Road Cemetery service on Sunday at 3pm, is also remembering those lost during the Coventry Blitz and the annual Poppy Drop is taking place in West Orchards Shopping Centre.
The annual Remembrance Service and Parade will take place on Sunday 9 November, beginning at 10.45am, at The Cenotaph in the War Memorial Park.
The service will honour and pay respect to those who lost their lives in the 2 World Wars and other conflicts throughout the world and will be led by The Right Reverend Sarah Jelley, Bishop of Coventry and all are invited.
The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Rachel Lancaster, who will take the salute, said:
“The city’s annual Remembrance Day Service and Parade helps us remember, honour, and pay our respects to all those who have lost their lives due to wars or armed conflict.”
“This service is always very important to the city and acts as a timely reminder for everyone as to why we continue to promote peace and reconciliation around the world and on this 85th Anniversary of the Coventry Blitz.”
“As the numbers of people attending each year illustrates, we know how much the service in the War Memorial Park means to our residents and I’m sure this year’s’ service will be as well-attended as ever as we come together to mark the day.”
This year also marks the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz which took place on 14 November 1940. The city will come together, organising a range of public events and activities to not only commemorate the lives lost, and damage done to the city, but also mark the resilience and spirt of Coventry people who came together to rebuild their city.
As part of the Blitz commemorations, Coventry City Council is calling out for the community to get involved in a creative project called The Great Blitz Rebuild. The aim is to create a giant cardboard structure representing the old Coventry Cathedral that was destroyed in WWII.
West Orchards Shopping Centre will again be hosting the Poppy Drop on Tuesday 11 November, beginning at 10:45am on level 3 of the shopping centre. Veterans and guests will observe the 2-minute silence at 11am, as 4,000 poppies fall from the centre’s dome.
All of this is taking place during Coventry’s annual Peace Festival, which this year runs from 1 to 16 November. The aim of the festival is to promote the city’s ongoing work of peace, tolerance and friendship and in recognition of our well-known reputation as a city of Peace and Reconciliation.
A series of events and activities, including song making and woodcarving, will take place during the festival.
For more information on all Remembrance and Blitz 85th anniversary events including how to get involved, visit Coventry Remembers.