Veteran's story to feature in Shropshire Virtual Show
A Second World War veteran who was awarded the Légion d'Honneur has shared his remarkable experiences as part of a new online show taking place on Saturday.
Former Royal Engineer Les Stocking, 94, was interviewed for the Shropshire Virtual Show, a fundraising event showcasing a day of music, entertainment, competitions and shopping experiences on Saturday.
While free to view and take part in, visitors to the show will be asked to make a donation, with proceeds split between five Shropshire charities: The Cavalier Centre (home of Perry Riding for the Disabled), League of Friends to RJAH, The Movement Centre, Dog A.I.D. and Shropshire Rural Communities Charity.
Les, who was interviewed in his garden for the show, was designated the highly dangerous task of mine clearance on Gold Beach during the Normandy Landings.
His bravery earned him the Légion d’Honneur – the highest French decoration – in 2009.
After the war Les returned to Shrewsbury, where he was President and Chair of the Shropshire Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association for more than 30 years and is still a dedicated fundraiser for the British Legion Poppy Appeal.
Danny Budd, co-organiser of the Shropshire Virtual Show and trustee of the Cavalier Centre, said: “We feel incredibly honoured that Les has taken the time to share his stories for the Shropshire Virtual Show.
"He’s a remarkable man and we hope visitors will be inspired by his courage and continuous dedication to helping others.”
Les’s interview will feature alongside over 70 other performances, films and workshops across eight ‘arenas’, between 10am and 9pm on Saturday.
Other highlights on the day include cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs Marcus Bean, ‘Shropshire Lad’ Adam Purnell and MasterChef winner Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed, plus an action-packed display from Upper Cut Fight Stunt Show and a magical tale about a dream that comes to life from equestrian theatre team Theatrick.
For more information on the Shropshire Virtual Show, visit www.shropshirevirtualshow.com or follow @shropshirevirtualshow on Facebook and Instagram.
