October 16th, 2020.


Seaford Town Council is encouraging members of the public to join the national campaign to ‘Remember at Home’ and safely partake in remembrance activities during November.

Despite the decision to cancel the  Remembrance Sunday service on the 8th of November due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Town Council wanted to ensure that members of the public are still encouraged to safely mark the day in other ways.

The key message this year is safety. Although the advice is that local authorities can organise events, it also states that all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of Covid-19 must be in place. Unfortunately, due to the location of the War Memorial, its small size, limited access routes and close proximity to multiple busy highways, the requirements in order to hold a safe event cannot be met.

The popular Remembrance Sunday service would usually take place at the War Memorial, organised by the Seaford branch of the Royal British Legion. Ken Jupp, Chairman of the Seaford Royal British Legion shares in the Town Council’s disappointment saying; “Seaford Royal British Legion Branch has to comply with instructions from HQ which can be viewed online. These conditions make it impossible for us to provide our normal input.”

To enable the Seaford community to share in this important period of remembrance, the Town Council is encouraging innovative ways of marking Remembrance:

Wreath Laying
From Friday the 30th of October, the wreath frames will be at the War Memorial to enable members of the public, businesses and organisations to lay wreaths in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday on the 8th of November. It is requested that wreaths are laid before the 8th of November to prevent any risks of crowding on that day. When laying wreaths all current Covid-19 guidance must be followed.

National Two-Minutes Silence
The Town Council is encouraging members of the public to privately take part in the national two-minutes silence at 11.00am on Sunday the 8th of November. 

Remembering at Home
There are many ways to be involved in ‘Remember at Home’ which need not be seen as less significant or less respectful. The Royal British Legion is sharing ideas for alternative ways to remember:

· Hold a small Remembrance service in your garden following social distancing rules.

· Create a Remembrance space in your garden by planting plants that have a connection to Remembrance.

· Use Zoom, Facebook or another online meeting resource to host an online Remembrance service or activity.

· Set up a community Remembrance forum to discuss different residents’ Remembrance stories.

· Create an online exhibition of Remembrance related photos from local residents that schools or others could use to discuss local Remembrance activities.

· Hold an online interview with a local veteran or someone currently serving to discuss what service and sacrifice means to them. You could send people the link and create an online audience.

· Open an online book of Remembrance that family, friends and others can sign as a mark of Remembrance.

· Write letters of Remembrance to veterans or serving personnel.

· Use the Royal British Legion’s Remembrance education activities to help children learn about Remembrance.

· Create your own Remembrance art piece using the Royal British Legion’s teaching resources – children and families could display something in their window like the rainbows for the NHS.

Share Your Activities
A Seaford Town Council spokesperson explained: “This year has seen everyone needing to adapt to a completely new way of living, but with that has come opportunities to be involved in our community in innovative ways which we have seen can positively bring even more people together. Seaford is extremely proud of the Armed Forces past and present who sacrificed themselves to protect our Country and way of life. It is now our turn to do our bit to protect the health and wellbeing of the local community.”

The Town Council will be offering its Facebook page as a platform for the community to see and share their acts of Remembrance. Send in photos and messages either via Facebook or to admin@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk so that officers can share as many as possible over the period of remembrance.

Ideas include window decorations, garden tributes, poems, photographs of war heroes, or anything that you would like to share with the community at this time. P


“In every act of remembrance, we honour the memory of the fallen and pledge to care for the living. We will remember them.” The Royal British Legion, 2020.

www.britishlegion.org.uk