Remembrance Sunday (8 November) in Bridport had a very different look this year following the announcement of a nationwide lockdown.
A church service led by Bridport Team Ministry was live streamed at 10am. The Act of Remembrance was also streamed from 10.45am. You can watch the Act of Remembrance below:
On the afternoon of 8 November at 3pm, a secular Remembrance event, led by Cllr Anne Rickard, took place virtually via Zoom. This was an informal and open invitation to members of the community to share their thoughts and feelings in their own way in the form of poem, prose, song, or even just to listen.
Throughout the period of Remembrance this year, people and organisations paid their respects in different ways. The Mayor, the Town Council and Bridport Team Ministry recorded their thoughts ahead of Remembrance Sunday in this commemorative video:
The Royal Naval Association laid their wreath early, on 4 November before the restrictions came into force. Here is their video of their moving tribute:
David Powell has published a video to illustrate the sacrifice made by so many in two World Wars that led to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Bridport is the first town in England to declare itself ‘Rights-Respecting’, placing the honouring of the Human Rights of all citizens at its heart. The tune is ‘The Battle of the Somme’ written by Scottish Piper William Laurie after the battle. David plays it on a melodeon handed down from his wife’s grandfather who was gifted it by a German soldier in Paris at the end of WW1:
We are of course very sorry not to be able to proceed with a full Remembrance parade this year. Following the announcement of a second national lockdown, the Council had to make a quick decision on whether we could proceed, and at that time there was nothing to indicate an exception for parades. Consequently we decided not to go ahead. The updated Government guidance on Remembrance allowing parades (with restrictions) was issued too late for the Council to be sure we could accord with the COVID-19 safety requirements for such a large public event. We hope however that the virtual alternatives will help to maintain the spirit of Remembrance, and that by next year we will be able to return to the full Remembrance Sunday events.