Armistice Day, Friday 11 November at 10.45am, there will be a short service of Remembrance, in the grounds of Oakham Castle. This will mark the day when the guns fell silent and the armistice was declared. This service will include a minute’s silence at 11.00am.
The service will be conducted by Reverend Brian McAvoy from the Royal British Legion, and representatives of local military units and veterans’ organisations will be present. All members of the public are invited to attend.
7.30pm on Friday 11 November, in the Chapel of Uppingham School, Rutland’s first ‘Festival of Remembrance’ will take place, organised by His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness. This event will consist of a concert at 7.30pm, preceded by a reception in the School’s Memorial Hall at 6.30pm. It will be a positive commemoration and celebration of those who have served and continue to serve for our country.
It is particularly important to mark Remembrance in this fashion in Rutland, a county that has such a significant military presence. In addition to our two army bases, we have military personnel living in Rutland who serve elsewhere, alongside reservists and very many veterans and military families. Rutland is almost unique as a county, in having at least 20% of its population affiliated with the military.
All funds raised at this event will be donated to The Royal British Legion Poppy appeal. This is a ticketed event and tickets can be purchased for £25 through the Lord-Lieutenant’s website.
If you only wish to attend the concert itself, tickets are free with donations being accepted on the evening.
Saturday 12 November at 7.30pm in All Saints’ Church, Oakham, Rutland Concert Band will present their annual ‘Music for Remembrance’, an event which has become something of a tradition in recent years and is a particularly poignant way to mark the evening before Remembrance Day itself.
The concert feature a range of music with the central theme being Remembrance. The programme will include extracts from two John Williams film scores, Hymn to The Fallen, from Saving Private Ryan, Dartmoor, 1912, from War Horse, and Nimrod, from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. All proceeds will be donated to the Poppy Appeal and tickets can purchased on arrival.
Sunday 13 November, The County Service of Remembrance will take place at 2.30pm in All Saints’ Church, Oakham. Military Units from within the County and beyond will parade to the Church, from the Market Place, moving off at 1.55pm.
The service will conclude with a Wreath Laying Ceremony, after which, the contingents on parade will march back to the Market Place, with The Lord Lieutenant taking the Salute on Oakham High Street. All members of the public are warmly invited to attend the Service and should be seated in All Saints’ Church by 2.15pm.
Oakham Castle Poppies Produced and donated by the Veteran prisoners and staff of HMP Stocken