Yate Town Council, St Mary’s Church and the Royal British Legion joined together on behalf of the community to remember those who have lost their lives.
Those that have died and suffered through war were commemorated on Remembrance Sunday with Acts of Remembrance outside at the Lych Gates and Parnall Memorial at St Mary’s Church in Yate.
The services were given added poignancy this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the current lockdown. The event is usually attended by hundreds of local people but numbers were limited this year to a socially distanced few, following Government regulations and to protect the local community.
Reverend Gail Thomson led the small group who represented the local community; commemorated first were all the those who have lost their lives through war and those named at the Lych Gates.
The Royal British’s Legion Standard Bearer attended with local bugler, Connor Crane, who sounded the last post.
Those who attended then laid wreaths; Councillor Ruth Davis, Deputy Chair representing the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, Councillor Karl Tomasin, representing Yate Town Council, Jacky Robertson, Chair of Gloucestershire Branches of the Royal British Legion, David Hodge on behalf of the armed forces and Reverend Ian Wallace on behalf of St Mary’s Church.
Those members of the community who wished to lay wreaths were invited to do so, throughout the remainder of the day.
A further Act of Remembrance took place at the Parnall Memorial within St Mary’s church yard to commemorate the 52 men and women, and 3 unknown civilian employees of the Parnall Aircraft Ltd, who lost their lives as a result of two air raids which took place in 1941 during the second world war.
Mark Haslam, a representative of Whirlpool Corporation, whose factory is on the site of Parnall’s Aircraft Factory, laid a wreath in their memory. Councillor Karl Tomasin, Mayor of Yate, also laid a wreath on behalf of the Yate community.
Please see the St Mary’s Church website for a pre-recorded service in the church and a recording of the service at the Lych Gates which took place on Sunday 8th November 2020. https://www.yateparish.org/remembrance2020
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here