THE FLAG of the Armed Forces has been raised at Leicester’s Town Hall to mark the start of Armed Forces Week.
Leicester’s Lord Mayor Cllr Teresa Aldred was joined by Deputy Lieutenant Professor Surinder Sharma for the flag-raising ceremony today (Monday).
The flag will be flown until Armed Forces Day on Saturday (28 June), when Leicester will once again host the Armed Forces Day parade.
The 250-strong parade will be made up of serving military, reservists, veterans, cadets and the Pipes and Drums of the Seaforth Highlanders, stepping 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 a senior military officer.
They will be joined on the dais by the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Teresa Aldred, and the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, Cllr Paul Harrison.
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.
Assistant city mayor Councillor Manjula Sood MBE is the city council’s Armed Forces Champion.
“Coming together to recognise the work of our Armed Forces, both past and present, is always an honour, and we are ever aware of the increasing unrest across the world that still heavily relies on members of our services to stand and protect us all,” she said.
“We continue to show them our gratitude for their commitment and dedication.”
Leicester’s Armed Forces Day Parade and Service has been organised by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, the Lieutenancy Office, and Leicester Cathedral.