Veterans and local dignitaries will gather in St Thomas’ Square in Newport at 11:00 on Monday (23 June) for the annual Armed Forces Day flag raising ceremony.
The ceremony, conducted by Reverend Kevin Arkell, is an opportunity for representatives of the armed forces, community leaders and members of the public to show their support for the military community, both serving and retired.
The Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Marin White will be present, along with Councillor Ian Ward, chairman of the Isle of Wight Council who also chairs the Isle of Wight Armed Forces Community Covenant Partnership.
After the flag raising ceremony, Councillor Ian Ward will present a grant on behalf of the Isle of Wight Community Covenant Partnership to Nature Therapy, a community interest company which helps former members of the armed forces to learn new skills involving nature.
The grant will be accepted on Nature Therapy’s behalf by 98 year old veteran, Jim Long, a former forces dispatch rider. Jim, who has raised thousands of pounds for armed forces charities over the years, will travel to the ceremony by motorcycle side car in a convoy of around 20 motorcyclists. Jim and the bikers, which include a number of ex-servicemen, will arrive at St Thomas’ Square at around 10:30.
The covenant has been developed by local people as a voluntary pledge of mutual support between a civilian community and its local armed forces community. It is designed to make it easier for service personnel, their families and veterans to access help and support from the Ministry of Defence, statutory providers and charitable and voluntary organisations on the Island. The Isle of Wight Community Covenant Partnership has secured funding to support work on the Island to help former members of the armed forces.
Councillor Ian Ward, chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, said:
“It is important that we recognise the work of our armed forces and show the Island’s support for the military community, both serving and retired. I am delighted to be presenting our first grant at this year’s flag raising ceremony and it is very fitting for Jim – who has contributed so much to the armed forces community – to accept the grant on Nature Therapy’s behalf.”
Article continues below this advertisement
From 10:00 today (Saturday), Appley in Ryde will host the annual Armed Forces Day which includes fireworks at 22:10 as well as a host of other activities throughout the day including an aerobatic display.
