Lockdown Remembrance

Well, that went ok. You cannot imagine the number of conversations, video meetings, guidance emails from national and local government, local government associations and British Legion, risk assessments and "informed commentary" we've dealt with over the past months... Our parish clerk has kept up to date with the vacillating and often contradictory pronouncements from various sources, and remained cheerful throughout.

In the end, it all went swimmingly. An appropriate adverb considering the rather drizzly weather. We finally and sensibly, but reluctantly, officially cancelled the Civil Act of remembrance and withdrew the Road Closure Order, and suggested that folk stand at their doorsteps for the two minute observance. And I believe that largely happened.

On the morning I suited up and added a specially purchased black facemask and latex gloves to my normal Remembrance wear, donned the Parish Council Chairman's medallion of office and walked up to the memorial in time to place nine wreathes on behalf of Parish Council, churches, scouts and village organisations that were waiting in the porch of the poppy bedecked church.

A few folk turned up, as expected. Including the person who normally sounds Last Post and Reveille on the bugle. At eleven o'clock some of us may have stepped back into the road, where a handful of cars were polite enough to wait as the bugle sounded out into the misty air, and the two minute silence was observed.

Afterward, we thanked the cars for waiting, especially the Tesco delivery man - if your shopping was a bit late, sorry. :-) 

And at least this year I didn't have to build and dismount the PA system. And I remembered the garden twine this year!