D Day and World War One commemorations
An open air memorial service, displays of poppies, a parade through the city, and special exhibitions will be among a programme of civic and community events going on this summer as Brighton & Hove commemorates the 100th anniversary of the First World War.
The memorial service will be held in the east gardens of the Royal Pavilion at 3pm on August 3, the eve of the anniversary, and is open to all. The inter-faith drumhead service is being co-ordinated by Brighton & Hove City Council with the Royal British Legion and will be led by the Bishop of Chichester. (The east gardens are the area in front of the Royal Pavilion where the skating rink is located in the winter)
The 70th anniversary of D Day in the Second World War will be also be commemorated on June 6 with a memorial service at the Old Steine War Memorial in Brighton at 3pm. The service is open to all. A D Day anniversary concert is being held the same day in the Music Room of the Royal Pavilion at 7.30pm with the Victory Wind Quintet. Tickets price £18 (£16 concessions) are available from www.brightonfringe.org or call 01273 917272.
Armed Forces Day on June 28 will be marked with a Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (PWRR) Freedom of the City Parade. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion PWRR and the Band of the Blues and Royals will step off from the Peace Statue on Hove seafront at 11am and follow a route along the seafront, West Street and North Street before arriving in New Road around 11.20am. This will be followed by a parade and inspection in New Road joined by veterans organisations and cadets. Events will continue in New Road during the afternoon from noon to 4pm, and include performances of vintage and wartime music from Vintage 5 Live & Rockabellas, information stands, and children’s performances in the Unitarian church.
A major exhibition opens at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery on July 12 highlighting the personal impact of the war through the experiences of 15 local people. War Stories: Voices from the First World War is one of a series of special exhibitions and displays being held by the Royal Pavilion & Museums as part of the city’s commemorations. (See more details under Notes to Editors)
A sea of poppies will be flowering on grass verges and at other locations across the city this summer after wildflower seeds were sown by parks staff earlier this year (More details under notes to editors) School children across the city have also been sowing poppy seeds, with every school receiving 1,000 seeds.
Other commemorations are also being lined up and a round up of events, including events being organised by community groups in the city, is available on the council's website www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/WW1.
Councillor Jason Kitcat, leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “The historic anniversary of the start of World War One will be commemorated in the city, as it will be around the world.
"The war affected so many lives in so many different ways, and the council has been working with a range of organisations to develop a vibrant and respectful programme of events to mark the centenary and reflect upon the courage and sacrifice made by local people."
He added: “Whether at a memorial service, visiting an exhibition, or taking in the sight of a sea of red poppies, there will be a range of opportunities for people to mark the anniversary.”
Commemorative events this summer are the start of a four year programme of events which will culminate in the anniversary of Armistice Day in November 2018.
Note to editors:
Exhibitions
War Stories: Voices from the First World War runs at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery from July 12 to March 1 2015* www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/press-release/war-stories-voices-first-world-war
Dr Brighton’s War: Hospitals and Healing in Brighton during WW1 a display of posters and photographs on the seafront from July 9 to August 31.
Steeplechasing Shell Holes: A Young Man’s War at Preston Manor, which started in April and runs until September 30 www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/press-release/steeplechasing-shell-holes-a-young-mans-war
A permanent display in the Indian Military Hospital Gallery at the Royal Pavilion http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/HistoryAndCollections/collectionsthemes/pavilionindianhospitalartphotography/Pages/pavilionindianhospitalartphotographs.aspx
*These exhibitions are part of the INTERREG IVA 2Seas programme, a European funded programme supporting cross-border co-operation between UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands www.greatwar1418.eu/en/agenda
Poppies
More details about poppies sown in the city http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/press-release/sowing-a-sea-poppies