Hastings Remembers (Pt. 2)

So readers, you've just heard and seen all about Saturday in London, now I move on to Sunday and our own Festival in Hastings at The White Rock Theatre.

This, unlike the Albert Hall, is something that has been a labour of love in my house for many months in the run up to November. There is entertainment to source, the programme to design, song choices to be made, cadets to organise and much more besides.
 Now, Remembrance Sunday in Hastings takes the form of two parades: one in the morning and one in the evening. We didn't attend the morning as we got back from London very late indeed! But I took cares to visit Alexandra Park in the weeks that followed to photograph the War Memorial and a rather unusual phenomenon.

 

Now the credit for this stranger phenomenon, which I'll show you below, goes to person or persons unknown! No one has any idea who did this:

If you look closer you will see that there are nearly 400 of these poppies attatched to the tree. There is one for every serviceman and woman who has been killed fighting in Afghanistan. Each poppy has the name and the date of death of one young person. What are your thoughts on this method of commemoration? I rather like it. I think it is striking yet oddly passive: you can pass it and only take in the bigger picture or you can stop and take a closer look, seeing the individual components.The people behind the politics, the real lives beyond the media story.

 

As for the evening, it was a great success with more people than ever attending - around 500! We were selling the programmes and can testify to the fact that there was a lot of activity and hype from very early on in the evening and it is great to see so many of the young people being involved in remembrance and commemoration. We begin with the entertainment; the singalong and performances by the Sea Cadets and St Paul's School, then move in to the Service and Dedication.

Next year I think we should aim to have a sellout show - its the least we can do to support the RBL. I would like to be on the sub-committee that organises it this year, but we don't get the chance to stand until December/January time. In the meantime I've been asked to fill the position of Publicity Officer for our local branch, so I need to consider that possibility too!

Here's one of my pics from the Festival:

 

All in all, I want to thank and publically blog my respects for everyone who donated to this year's Poppy Appeal in Hastings and St Leonards and to all of those who support the work of the Legion all the year round. Together (which is the best way!) we raised £53,000 to help serving and ex-service people and their families. Here is where the money goes: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/support-us/how-to-give/where-your-money-goes

We remain proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with all who serve.