This week we celebrated Remembrance Sunday; a day to remember the sacrifice and service of servicemen and women who were killed in wars and conflicts worldwide; service people who gave up their lives in battle, hoping to give us a better future…a future with peace.
In Wigan town centre, the annual tradition of a Remembrance Day Parade is decades old; a day for veterans, ex-military personal and members of the public to come together to honour the dead and their memory. The Scouting community across the country joined these parades to show their support for the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women.
This year was no different! All of the Scouts and uniformed groups in the Wigan borough joined in and supported the parade through the town, ending at the war cenotaph to lay wreaths and offer prayers.
As a proud member of 27th Wigan Scout Group (St Aidan’s), I am very aware of the atmosphere and ambience of the parade and the honour that it is to participate. It can feel surreal; marching somberly through the town alongside friends, led by various marching bands, flags held high. And then the silence when the bands stop playing and the talking and background noise go silent. This silence is an integral part of the remembrance celebrations as it allows time to reflect on the past and perhaps offer a prayer for the future; indeed, this 2 minute silence is observed nationwide.
To be a part of this ceremony and remembrance event is an amazing opportunity, one I would recommend everyone experience, either as a member of a uniformed group or as a member of the public. Go along and walk alongside; reflect on the past but give praise for a more peaceful future as you listen to the readings and stories, and observe the wreaths being laid in memory of those lost.
