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Thursday, November 18, 2021

Newbury Weekly News

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Thatcham turns out to After a year’s absence because of the Covid lockdown, people lined the

By HINNA AAMANI hinna.aamani@newburynews.co.uk @hinnaa_nwn

MORE than one thousand people paid their respects this year as the Thatcham Remembrance parade and service made a “successful” return. Starting in the Kingsland car park, the parade of around 500 people marched through the Broadway to the town’s war memorial. Crowds of around 1,000 peo- ple lined the streets, shopkeep- ers stood by their doors and some watched from nearby windows as the Thatcham pa- rade made its return after it was cancelled last year due to the lockdown. Before the event, Thatcham councillor Mike Cole (Lib Dem, Thatcham North East) said that it was “lovely to have a parade back again”. He added: “It’s an incredibly proud moment for the town every year.” Once reaching the war me- morial, prayers were read, Cold Ash Brass played and Thatcham mayor John Boyd laid a wreath. The two-minute silence be- gan at 11am and was followed by hymns, which filled the streets as others were invited to lay a wreath and pay their

The parade passes through Thatcham respects. Thatcham Royal British Legion chairman Ian Borland said: “The parade went very well indeed. “From the RBL’s point of view it was a very successful parade, which will be my last as chairman. “The church service was limited in numbers because of Covid, but it was still a very nice service.” He also noted the success of the recent Armistice Day on November 11, which he con- gratulated for having a large

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“It was also nice to see a strong military presence there and the whole parade was able to assemble right by the me- morial itself.” The parade made its way back to St Mary’s Church for a service to complete the Act of Remembrance and crowds continued to follow along, lin- ing the streets and applauding as it passed them. Mr Boyd noted that it was nice to see such a positive re- sponse from the public. He said: “It was very good to see young people getting in-

turnout. He said: “It’s normally on a working day so we get a max- imum of 30 people, but this year we had 60, so that was a shock.” The Rev Mark Bennet led the Act of Remembrance at the war memorial. Mayor John Boyd said: “It was great that we could have the parade again, though it was still under restrictions. “We got out there, different organisations were represent- ed and it was nice to see the people.

Thatcham mayor John Boyd

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Mayor John Boyd lays a wreath at the war memorial

Ref:46-1421G Families attended to pay their respects

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A salute to the fallen

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