Wednesfield Remembrance Day November 2009

I am so pleased to have once again been at this very special day for Wednesfield as the increasingly popular 'Remembrance Day Parade' and Church Service took place.

Like communities elsewhere in Wolverhampton and across the West Midlands Region. 'Remembrance Sunday' has been all about remembering the fallen in two World Wars and all the regional conflicts that have taken place across our troubled Globe.

Today my community joined together as they have done for decades to march from Wood End British Legion through the streets of Wednesfield to the Parish Church at St Thomas's. Residents peeped from their bedroom windows and doors opened as the very impressive parade wound its way through the Village towards the High Street.

More than 330 members of our community,including the Royal British Legion, The Air Training Corps, Current Service Personnel ,St John's Ambulance Brigade, Wolverhampton North East MP Ken Purchase MP, local politicians.... all crowded into St Thomas's (the Parish Church of Wednesfield) for a thought provoking sermon and prayers for the fallen and for those that are currently serving our Country in Afghanistan.

There was not a space to be seen in the body of the Church or the two upstairs balconies as the service got underway. At 11.00 am as the church bells struck even more people had gathered to witness the ceremony in the 'Gardens of Remembrance'.

Gone are the days when a few dozen hardy souls took part in this service. Now as in the past few years there is little space left as residents and other community members join and swell the 330 people that had packed into the Church for the earlier church service. Now closer to 400 people are gathered to hear the evocative clarion call of the 'last post' and the crowd making prayer and lifting their voices with a hearty rendition of the National Anthem.

Today like at other times as my wife Mary and I laid our wreaths to commemorate the dead, I was once again so very proud of the community that I live in, and have had the honour of serving.

Wednesfield and Woodend British Legion have done a marvellous job in organising today's tribute, they deserve to receive community recognition for the great service they perform in ensuring this historic ritual continues to take place. My hope is that our community in Wednesfield continues to support Remembrance Day.

Also in attendence was WolverhamptonNorth East Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Emma Reynolds who also laid a wreath and took part in the March and Church Service.