THE FLAG of the Armed Forces will be raised in Leicester’s Town Hall Square on Monday (24 June) to mark the start of Armed Forces Week.
LEICESTER’s Lord Mayor Cllr Bhupen Dave will be joined by Deputy Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hurwood for the ceremony at 11.30am, when the flag will be hoisted.
It will be flown until Armed Forces Day on Saturday 29 June, when Leicester will once again host the Armed Forces Day parade.
The 250-strong parade will be led by four mounted officers from the Defence Animal Training Centre (DATC). It will be made up of serving military, reservists, veterans, cadets and the Pipes and Drums of the Seaforth Highlanders. Four trained dogs from the DATC will also take part.
The parade will step off from Belgrave Gate, near to the Haymarket car park, at 11am. It will make its way past the Clock Tower, onto High Street, and fall out in Jubilee Square.
A saluting dais will be positioned on High Street opposite Carts Lane, where the salute will be taken by the Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur OBE and Commodore Jo Adey ADC, Royal Navy Commander Maritime Reserves. They will be joined on the dais by the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Bhupen Dave, and the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, Cllr Joe Orson.
Once in Jubilee Square, a drumhead service will begin at around 11.20am. The service will begin with the formation of the drumhead made up of five single drums. The service will be led by the Dean of Leicester, the Very Revd Karen Rooms.
Leicester has a long-standing relationship with local units of the armed forces with both the Royal Lancers and Royal Anglian Regiments having been granted the freedom of the city of Leicester.
The city council is also a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant which sets out the authority’s relationship with the armed forces and the services available to current and former personnel and their families.
Leicester’s Armed Forces Day Parade and Service has been organised by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, the Lieutenancy Office, and Leicester Cathedral.