In wearing a poppy, we display a public symbol of Remembrance

This November, my team and I assisted the Royal British Legion in their Poppy Appeal by selling poppies, wristbands and broaches in Crowborough, alongside local volunteers. People from across Wealden gave generously and we raised a significant amount in aid of veterans and service personnel in need, as well as their families.

In wearing a poppy on our chests, we display a public symbol of Remembrance, honouring the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces, past and present. Alongside the support the Royal British Legion provides to service personnel, it also takes on the vital task of helping to inform people about the sacrifices made to ensure our freedoms. Which should never be forgotten.

I was once again invited to join the many Remembrance Sunday services across Wealden. This year I joined Hailsham in their Bulb planting ceremony and joined Maresfield to pay tribute to the fallen and honour our armed forces.

Maresfield played a significant role in local military history, with the first Officer Training School based in the village. On Saturday, soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals (which has a squadron named Maresfield), gave a presentation on the lives of officers who trained in the village. It was a privilege to be able to meet current military personnel serving our nation and to be able to discuss with them the differences between the lives of officers then and now.

On Remembrance Sunday I attended a moving service at St Bartholomew’s Church in Maresfield. A squadron of 38 military personnel marched to the service through Maresfield Park, starting at the Manor House. The two minutes silence was then signalled by a bugler and the tolling of the church’s ancient bells. Following the service, I laid wreaths, along with the other members of the congregation, at the Church Memorial.

While Remembrance Sunday provides a humbling focal point for our remembrance of our war dead; we must also remember that members of the Forces make sacrifices in service to our country every day. Given this, we must honour our Armed Forces and those who served before them, every day of the year.