Lancaster boost for Armed Forces Day charities

Lancaster City Council has changed its policy so that only charities connected to the armed forces will be allocated permits to hold fund raising collections in Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth on Armed Forces Day, which this year falls on Saturday, June 27.

The council cabinet will meet on June 23 for talks on how they might support Armed Forces Day in future years.

At the moment, the council does not directly fund local Armed Forces Day events but does allow use of the Banqueting Suite at Lancaster Town Hall and Dalton Square free of charge.

Music and military vehicle displays will form part of this year’s Armed Forces Day, scheduled to take place in Lancaster on June 27.

Lancaster Castle will host the free event from 10am to 4.30pm, featuring army reserve and cadet forces and for the first time this year the Officer Training Corps from Lancaster University.

Additional support is provided by Lancaster University history department with the Streets of Mourning project mapping Lancaster’s casualties of the Great War. The Lancashire Army Cadet Force Band will play sessions both in the castle and in Market Square and The High Society Jazz Band will entertain through the afternoon.

There will be period displays from Women of the Forties, World War 1 re-enactors and vintage military vehicles plus military modelling.

There will also be an inflatable assault course and climbing tower.

At 7pm in the Storey hear a free talk by renowned historian and author Nigel Sale “Waterloo – 200 years on”. A supper will follow at a cost of £14 per person with pre-booking essential. Call 01539 821977. A spokesman said: “We’re delighted to have the full support of the Duchy of Lancaster and our city council in mounting this event and hope that residents from across the district will enjoy a memorable occasion while showing support for our servicemen and servicewomen.

Fundraising will be in aid of the Royal British Legion and Blind Veterans UK.

The Morecambe & Heysham Branch of the Royal British Legion will hold what is hoped to become an annual Armed Forces Day parade and drumhead service on Sunday, June 28 in Morecambe.