The Lost Sons Of Southwell

This year marks the centenary of the armistice that ended the First World War. Local groups will be commemorating this with various local events and initiatives.

Clergy, Choir and Congregation from Southwell Minster will be joining Royal British Legion members at Southwell Burgage Green War Memorial on Sunday 11th November from 10.30am. All residents are invited to join them for the two minutes silence at 11am and Wreath Laying by representatives from RBL and Southwell Town Council together with other uniformed groups. The parade will then move to the Southwell Minster for the Main Service and afterwards to the War Memorial at the Recreation Ground gates where the RBL will lay a wreath.

Also attending this year will be three grandsons of a local Southwell man Marine William Hopewell that fought at the battle Zeebrugge 22/23 April 1918. For his part of this bloody battle William was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal just missing out on the VC. This year marks the 100 year anniversary of that battle.

The three Grandsons will be laying the Wreath on behalf of their grandfather William, all the Marines that served in the two Great Wars and also the Royal Marines who have lost their lives since.

Southwell Yarn Bomb Project members have been busy knitting and crocheting poppies to decorate the town

A big thank you to everyone who has donated poppies for the event. Keep them coming! There is a collection bag In the library for completed poppies. Every single one will be used for the project or sold on a stall In the library on 3rd November, 10am -2.30pm. The money raised will be split between the Royal British Legion and a fund towards the upkeep of the town’s war memorials.

In the run up to Remembrance Sunday look out for a unique ‘Yarn Bomb’ way of remembering the men of Southwell who lost their lives in the conflict. One hundred years on, the town thanks them for their bravery and remembers them with pride.

Southwell Scouts have also been decorating remembrance rocks with the district council arts officer Lynn Preece. The young people will carry the rocks from the War memorial to the Minster during the annual Remembrance Parade on 11th November.

Beloved@thebarn is running a free Paint a Poppy event on Saturday 10th November and Southwell Choral Society present A Mass for Peace at the Southwell Minster on Saturday 17th November, 7.30pm. Further details here.