A time to reflect and remember

At 11 am on 11 November every year, tens of millions of people stand, if they can, in silent contemplation for two minutes. While the roots of Remembrance, or Poppy, Day stem from the Armistice Day of World War One on November 11, 1914, we remember all those killed in every war of the twentieth and twenty first centuries. My thoughts always go to my dear friend Dave, in those moments, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012 and is missed by so many of my friends today.

In many ways this year’s Remembrance seemed as poignant and relevant as any, as we continue to see scenes of devastation in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and the Sudan. Amid all these conflicts, politicians around the world seem to be fanning the flames by emphasising our differences and creating scapegoats to blame, threatening to close borders to refugees, impose tariffs on foreign produce, imprison protestors, and reduce support for those in need.

When I visit schools, surgeries, charities, and organisations such as Citizens Advice, around the constituency, I see people who want to help one other, who want to build safe and caring communities, who do not discriminate between rich or poor, black or white, religious or secular. I’m so grateful to charities like Sanctuary in Chichester for the work they do to make our city welcoming, inclusive and safe. Most of us are unable to influence foreign affairs but we can all strive to make our own communities better places to live in for everybody and I’m proud to represent such a warm and welcoming part of the Country.