Residents encouraged to turn bandstand red with poppies
This year, local residents, groups and organisations are being urged to, for the first time in its history, help turn Eastleigh Bandstand red with poppies to provide a very visual show of support as, due the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions, people will not be able to attend Remembrance Day parades and services.
Eastleigh Borough Council and the Royal British Legion will be decorating this iconic local landmark with poppies in the week leading up to Remembrance Day. The bandstand is just a few metres away from the War Memorial and in a normal year the hosts the band and the bugler who plays the last post as part of the ceremony so it is fitting that it can provide a focus for Remembrance in these difficult times.
The Council’s Armed Forces Champion Cllr Tina Campbell said, “In these extraordinary times this will be the first time the bandstand has been used in this unique way and we are encouraging local people and organisations to help turn the bandstand red with a sea of poppies. They can abide by social distancing rules and go along anytime in the week before Remembrance to tie their homemade or bought poppies around the railings of the bandstand to remember their loved ones. In this way, we hope they can be there in spirit on Remembrance Day and at the same time we can collectively send a strong and positive message that, despite the current restrictions and lack of services, we can show our support in a very visual way to honour the sacrifices that our armed forces and civilians have made.”
The Council will be encouraging residents to mark Remembrance Sunday on 8 November and Armistice Day on Wednesday 11 November in a way that follows current government guidelines by encouraging all residents to stand on their doorstep at 11am to honour the two-minute silence.
There will also be a virtual ceremony at 11am on 8 November that can viewed on the Council’s website www.eastleigh.gov.uk