TOGETHER IN SPIRIT’: MAYOR URGES EVERYONE TO HONOUR THE FALLEN ON REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

Published 6 November 2020 at 12:51pm

Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis is calling on the people of South Yorkshire to unite, albeit virtually or from home, this Remembrance Sunday, to honour and commemorate all those members of the Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe.

2020 marks 75 years since the end of World War Two and this year’s Remembrance events will have a particular focus on VE Day and VJ Day.

A former British Army Major, Mayor Dan Jarvis served with The Parachute Regiment in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was also deployed to Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Northern Ireland during his 15 years in the Armed Forces.

In previous years thousands of people in South Yorkshire have attended remembrance services on Remembrance Sunday, but due to the pandemic, events have been reworked to accommodate coronavirus restrictions. Wreaths will still be laid at memorials and cenotaphs across the region to commemorate those who lost their lives fighting for the country and the Mayor is encouraging people to take part in remembrance at home.

The Armed Forces have played a vital role in the national effort to overcome the coronavirus, including setting up the Nightingale hospitals, supporting the Test and Trace system and delivering PPE to hospitals and care homes.

Mayor Dan Jarvis said: “There’s no getting away from the fact that this year’s period of Remembrance will be like no other before. This wretched disease means we can’t be together in person, but it is now more important than ever that we come together in spirit.

“We owe those who put their lives on the line for us a massive debt. Their sacrifice must always be commemorated. In that respect, this year is no different.

“Remembrance was, is, and will forever be, a moment to reflect on the past and everyone who died to protect and build the Britain we live in today. And a moment to repay that debt of gratitude by working towards a more peaceful future.”

Many World War Two veterans are now in their 90s or centenarians, leaving them extremely vulnerable to the virus. One South Yorkshire veteran, 101-year-old Tom Hicks, was parachuted into Arnhem in the Netherlands during WW2 before being captured and detained in a prisoner of war camp.

Mayor Jarvis said: “The freedoms we enjoy today are a result of the determination of veterans like Tom – we must cherish him and his comrades while we can. As their stories move from living memory to the pages of history, it is incumbent on us all to ensure their legacy stands forever.

“And just as the Second World War generation did seventy-five years ago, we too must overcome an extraordinary challenge. We should remember the courage and resilience they showed and draw strength from their solidarity.

“This isn’t an excuse to use vapid ‘Blitz-spirt’ platitudes but about the need to carry out our civic and moral duty. Following the public health guidance is onerous and inconvenient but we can’t lose sight of why we need to comply with the rules: to protect people like Tom.”

To mark this year’s period of Remembrance, Mayor Dan Jarvis has released a video in which he talks about his own experiences serving in the forces and praises all those who have served in the forces both past and present. The video is available on YouTube and on the Sheffield City Region’s Facebook and Twitter pages.