On Sunday 10 November 2024 our annual Remembrance Sunday Service was held at the base of the Armed Forces Memorial.
The service, led by The Venerable Dr Susan Weller, Archdeacon of Lichfield, featured performances by the British Army Band Catterick, Black Voices and participants of the Talent in the Ranks programme, accompanied by the Arboretum’s Poet-In-Residence, Dan Simpson.
Talent in the Ranks, a programme developed and produced by Arboretum in collaboration with the Royal British Legion’s Armed Forces Engagement Team, engages serving personnel, veterans, and military families. Working alongside Arboretum Associate Partners Black Voices and Dan Simpson, Poet-in Residence, the programme uses poetry songwriting, and music to explore themes close to the hearts of the participants.
Watch the Remembrance Sunday Service on YouTube
On Armistice Day, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO attended our annual Armistice Day Service of Remembrance. During the service, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh read an extract from ‘For The Fallen’, a poem by Lawrence Binyon (1869 - 1943). In addition to musical performances from British Army Band Catterick, Black Voices and Carly Paoli, a reading of ‘A Poppy To Remember’ was delivered by the Arboretum’s poet-in-residence Dan Simpson and participants from the Arboretum’s ‘Talent in the Ranks’ artist development programme.
Watch the Armistice Day Service on YouTube
From 1 - 14 November our grounds hosted one of the Royal British Legion's Fields of Remembrance. Over the course of two days, approximetly 12,000 individually dedicated tributes were planted within our grounds by a team of volunteers. Collectively the tributes in the field formed a poppy when viewed from the air.
