Lord Mayor's Blog 8
In the past week I have had the privilege of taking part in a number of events connected with Armed Forces Day and visiting the Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas which is devoted to the concept of remembrance.
In the past week I have had the privilege of taking part in a number of events connected with Armed Forces Day and visiting the Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas which is devoted to the concept of remembrance.
We attended a moving ceremony and the memorial itself creates a great impact on you both emotionally and visually.
At the service in St Martin’s Church the day before I’d given this contribution:
Last Monday I raised the Armed Forces flag in Birmingham outside the Council House in Victoria Square as part of a nation-wide event and as a herald of Armed Forces Day itself which is an excellent opportunity for the whole nation to show its appreciation for those who defend our liberties.
We gather together today to express the gratitude of the City of Birmingham, the wider region and the people of the Midlands towards those men and women who serve in the forces, those who have served and those who seek to serve their country in this honourable, professional and courageous way.
In the inaugural year of this day of celebrations there are displays, activities and exhibits in Centenary Square. And in this and through this service in St Martin’s, we salute all those who are here present and those whom they represent.
Birmingham was proud in 2007 to host the national event for National Veterans Day, which was the forerunner to Armed Forces Day and to which there was a tremendous public response.
National Veterans Day had as its focus our veterans and the truly outstanding contributions that they have made to the protection and well being of this country over very many years.
This year that splendid occasion has been expanded into Armed Forces Day itself, a name that has been chosen to embrace the wider Armed Forces, including serving personnel, both regular and reserve, as well as the Veterans themselves and also of course the Cadet Forces.
And I know that the core values of the armed forces bring out the very best in our young people.
This all serves further to raise the public consciousness of the vital role that is played by our Armed Forces both in ensuring the security and well-being of this country and in defending the fundamental freedoms of others that we can all too easily take for granted.
So today is a day for thankfulness and also for celebration, because pride, as a positive virtue, has both serious and joyful dimensions.
We are immensely proud of our Armed Forces and their achievements in service and I have recently had the privilege, accompanied by the Lady Mayoress, of presenting medals to returning soldiers at bases both here in Birmingham and also in Germany.
The medals of course recognise service in theatres of danger but what also struck me on those occasions was the sheer positive vitality of our service men and women who were not just willing but thoroughly enthusiastic about undertaking further tours of duty to carry out the tasks for which they have been trained - and indeed fulfilling the ideals of service that prompted them to join the forces in the first place.
This is a spirited sentiment in which we can share and which will suffuse today’s celebrations. This exuberance is reflected in the stirring music that we have already been hearing and the further selection that we shall hear later on.
The music includes ‘The Dam Busters March’, ‘A Life on the Ocean Wave’ ‘Colonel Bogey’ and a rendition of one of my favourite pieces from childhood - and which I readily own is still so today - The Teddy Bears’ Picnic! Hopefully the bears will not need to dash for shelter in Centenary Square!
I know that there is an immense depth of public support for the British Armed Forces - that fact should never be doubted for a single moment. There is respect for the individual courage and commitment and for the collective teamwork and professionalism both in active service and in support.
All of the service that is given represents the extraordinary efforts made, as the services themselves so modestly put it, by ‘ordinary people’ - in other words people just like ourselves.
And as they perform this outstanding work we also stand out squarely in support of them, a support that is freely given and which I am sure will be evident in abundance on this the inaugural Armed Forces Day.
At the service in St Martin’s Church the day before I’d given this contribution:
Last Monday I raised the Armed Forces flag in Birmingham outside the Council House in Victoria Square as part of a nation-wide event and as a herald of Armed Forces Day itself which is an excellent opportunity for the whole nation to show its appreciation for those who defend our liberties.
We gather together today to express the gratitude of the City of Birmingham, the wider region and the people of the Midlands towards those men and women who serve in the forces, those who have served and those who seek to serve their country in this honourable, professional and courageous way.
In the inaugural year of this day of celebrations there are displays, activities and exhibits in Centenary Square. And in this and through this service in St Martin’s, we salute all those who are here present and those whom they represent.
Birmingham was proud in 2007 to host the national event for National Veterans Day, which was the forerunner to Armed Forces Day and to which there was a tremendous public response.
National Veterans Day had as its focus our veterans and the truly outstanding contributions that they have made to the protection and well being of this country over very many years.
This year that splendid occasion has been expanded into Armed Forces Day itself, a name that has been chosen to embrace the wider Armed Forces, including serving personnel, both regular and reserve, as well as the Veterans themselves and also of course the Cadet Forces.
And I know that the core values of the armed forces bring out the very best in our young people.
This all serves further to raise the public consciousness of the vital role that is played by our Armed Forces both in ensuring the security and well-being of this country and in defending the fundamental freedoms of others that we can all too easily take for granted.
So today is a day for thankfulness and also for celebration, because pride, as a positive virtue, has both serious and joyful dimensions.
We are immensely proud of our Armed Forces and their achievements in service and I have recently had the privilege, accompanied by the Lady Mayoress, of presenting medals to returning soldiers at bases both here in Birmingham and also in Germany.
The medals of course recognise service in theatres of danger but what also struck me on those occasions was the sheer positive vitality of our service men and women who were not just willing but thoroughly enthusiastic about undertaking further tours of duty to carry out the tasks for which they have been trained - and indeed fulfilling the ideals of service that prompted them to join the forces in the first place.
This is a spirited sentiment in which we can share and which will suffuse today’s celebrations. This exuberance is reflected in the stirring music that we have already been hearing and the further selection that we shall hear later on.
The music includes ‘The Dam Busters March’, ‘A Life on the Ocean Wave’ ‘Colonel Bogey’ and a rendition of one of my favourite pieces from childhood - and which I readily own is still so today - The Teddy Bears’ Picnic! Hopefully the bears will not need to dash for shelter in Centenary Square!
I know that there is an immense depth of public support for the British Armed Forces - that fact should never be doubted for a single moment. There is respect for the individual courage and commitment and for the collective teamwork and professionalism both in active service and in support.
All of the service that is given represents the extraordinary efforts made, as the services themselves so modestly put it, by ‘ordinary people’ - in other words people just like ourselves.
And as they perform this outstanding work we also stand out squarely in support of them, a support that is freely given and which I am sure will be evident in abundance on this the inaugural Armed Forces Day.
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