Week of Remembrance in Inverness to mark Armistice Day
A number of ceremonies will take place to mark Armistice Day in Inverness from Monday 7 to Sunday 13 November 2011. Organised by The Highland Council and the Royal British Legion Scotland, Inverness Branch, the week of events reinforces the current importance and relevance of Armistice Day to the local community and the Highlands.
The week starts with the dedication of Cavell Gardens on the River Ness as a “Field of Remembrance” at noon on Monday 7 November for ex-Service men and women, as well as members of the public to plant a cross in memory of their fallen comrades.
On Remembrance Day (Friday 11 November, 11/11/2011), a ceremony will take place in front of Inverness Town House at 11am.
The Provost of Inverness, Councillor Jimmy Gray and fellow members of The Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee will be joined by Council staff, and members of the Royal British Legion Scotland. Members of the Inverness business community through Inverness BID have been invited to attend and members of the public are also welcome.
Anyone wishing to come along should be in front of the Town House at 10:55am. After short readings, a bugler will sound the last post at the 11th hour to start the two minutes silence and a piper will play a lament. Rev Dr Peter Howson will close the ceremony with a short prayer.
Provost Gray said: “The Act of Remembrance is growing in importance to the Council, and the community of Inverness. As a measure of its importance, this is the first time that traffic has been stopped in Inverness on Armistice Day since the Second World War.”
Members of the public are being advised by the Council that traffic will be stopped in front of the Town House from 5 minutes to 11am till 5 minutes past 11am on 11 November as a mark of respect during the Remembrance ceremony.
With the assistance of signage and traffic wardens - traffic travelling down Castle Street will be re-directed via View Place and Castle Road. Traffic travelling from Ness Bridge will be directed left onto Bridge Street or right onto Castle Road. Motorists travelling from Bridge Street will be re-directed straight ahead onto Castle Road or right onto Ness Bridge. The Council has notified Emergency Services and public bus service operators, Stagecoach of the temporary traffic stoppage.
Also at 11am on 11/11/11 staff in Council offices throughout the Highlands will have the opportunity to observe a 2 minute silence which will also be observed during any public meetings.
On Thursday 10 November, and Saturday 12 November, members of the Royal British Legion Scotland along with Air, Army and Sea Cadets will be visiting Kilvean and Torvean Cemeteries to remember the service paid by those who lost their lives by marking graves of war and x-servicemen and women’s graves with poppies.
The RBLS and cadets will be visiting Kilvean cemetery on the morning of Thursday 10 and Torvean Cemetery in the afternoon on Saturday 12 November to pay their respects.
A Service of Remembrance will also take place on Sunday 13 November, 2011 at 3pm at the Cenotaph at Cavell Gardens in Inverness.
Members of the Inverness Branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland and The Highland Council, staff and unformed youth groups will parade from Huntly Street and the Town House to the Cenotaph accompanied by Colour parties (flag bearers), the Inverness Legion Pipes and Drums, Salvation Army Band and local MP’s and MSPs. The parade will march off from Huntly Street at 2:20pm and arrive at Cavell Gardens at 2:50pm.
The Service at Cavell Garden’s Cenotaph will be conducted by Reverend Peter Howson – all are welcome.
Twelve secondary schools throughout the Highlands are selling poppies and participating in Remembrance activities, involving over 7,920 secondary pupils staff and local school communities.