Council expresses some concerns about ‘finer details’ of Kington’s Armed Forces Day event

Various attractions and memorial services are planned with the help of several military organisations and charities expected to attend.

Armed Forces Day takes place at the end of June when Herefordshire holds a day where the Lord Lieutenant reviews the cadets and veterans and other events are arranged supporting it.

Traditionally it was always held in Hereford but in recent year other market towns have hosted the event.

The event will take place on Saturday, June 27 and in Kington this year.

Kington Mayor Councillor Philip Sell told a recent town council meeting that the celebration event will start at 11am at Lady Hawkins High School before moving to the Recreation Ground at 11.20am

The Wye Valley Military Vehicle Trust are expected to bring a range of vehicles including a model spitfire, a number of organisations such as Help for Heroes and SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, a trusted source of support for serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need are planning stalls and a band of 60 to 80 RAF cadets, combined forces from Herefordshire and Gloucestershire will attend.

There are also plans for the town to re-affirm its commitment to the Armed Forces through the public re-signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.

The day will include speeches from dignitaries, flag raising, wreath laying, a museum exhibition and an act of Remembrance and a performance by Ludlow Band.

Councillor Sell has previously said; “There will be a ceremony at Lady Hawkins School with the school repeating its Remembrance Service with two youngsters laying wreaths.

“There will then be a parade to the Recreation Ground to the Korean memorial and various dignitaries have been invited and information will be given about the most decorated serviceman from Kington Lt Col Chipp, who joined the army in 1899 and rose through the ranks and there will be an exhibition on him at the museum.

“Ludlow Town Band will provide music, I have applied for a fly over or a fly past at around midday and it should be finished by about 2pm.”

He said he had been speaking to Colonel Andy Taylor, a representative of the Lord Lieutenant, about some of the arrangements and there is £2,000 in the town council’s budget but some grants are also available.

But the town clerk and some members said they were getting concerned about some of the finer details given that the event is now quite close.

Town clerk Liz Kelso said she has not seen any contracts, risk assessments or insurance arrangements. She said a timeline has now been produced and comments have been added to it.

She said; “It has been a year since we knew we would be hosting this event and in the months since a working party was set Up but I don’t think it has met. There are an awful lot of questions.”

The council was told Smokefest will also take place on the same day at the neighbouring football club starting at 2pm but the Armed Forces Day event has Ludlow Band playing until 3pm.

There were also concerns about electrics on the recreation ground, flag raising with no flag poles, what happens if the weather is bad etc.

The working party agreed to meet up to go over the finer details.