Luton will remember its fallen

One hundred years after the guns fell silent, marking the end of World War One, commemorations will be taking place around the country to mark the event.

Luton Council will follow the Battles Over itinerary laid out by Pageantmaster Bruno Peake, and extend their traditional Remembrance Day commemorations into the evening of Sunday 11 November.

Poppies, Poetry and Projections will include a programme of striking projections onto the Town Hall, a display of light-up poppies by local children, poetry and spoken word by local artists, and music by the Salvation Army Band. It will follow on from a day of commemorations, starting with the traditional Scottish lament, Battle’s O’er, played at 6am by Stephen Cussen of the University of Bedfordshire Pipe Band.

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The traditional Remembrance Day service will start at 10.40am, with the parade from Park Street West up to the war memorial in George Street. This will be followed by the Exhortation, and the recitals, prayers and readings from representatives of Luton’s communities and the armed forces. At the end of the service, the Vice Lord-Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, the Mayor and civic party will process around the war memorial to observe the march past. The parade will then march back to Park Street West.

Local residents, veterans and relatives of those who fought in the Great War are then invited to return at 6pm, where more than 100 children are expected to attend with poppies they made at workshops held during October half-term. Local spoken word artists will perform poems that explore the wartime tradition of writing poetry and letters to loved ones in the context of Luton today.

The projections onto the Town Hall will recognise those who gave their lives during the Great War and reflect the powerful sentimentality of the poppy.

The evening will culminate with the lighting of a beacon, the ringing out of the bells and the cry for peace performed by local poet, Lee Nelson.

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Cllr Hazel Simmons MBE, Leader of the Council, said: “Poppies, Poetry and Projections is a very special evening event in addition to our traditional commemorations in the morning, and is the latest in the series of 2018-19 commemorations that have taken place in recognition of some of the key dates in our history.

“I’d like to warmly encourage as many to join us as possible, as we pay respect to the many thousands of people who have given their lives to protect this country, and express our gratitude to all those currently serving in our armed forces across the world.”

For more information about this year’s Remembrance Day activities, visit www.luton.gov.uk/lutonremembers