Cleobury Mortimer veteran to join London Remembrance parade
A former sailor from Shropshire has been selected to pay tribute to fallen comrades in the Cenotaph march-past on Remembrance Sunday.
Former sailor Simon Morrison, from Cleobury Mortimer, is one of 50 veterans, carers, and staff from Help for Heroes, who will pay tribute to their fallen comrades in the capital this weekend, by joining the Cenotaph march-past on Remembrance Sunday,
Simon and 30 other veterans will take part in Help for Heroes' largest-ever delegation, and join 10,000 members of the veteran community marching shoulder to shoulder in an act of remembrance along Whitehall.
Simon, 44, served for 18 years between 1998 and 2016, as a Chief Petty Officer, but was not medically discharged until 2019, following a serious accident.
Owing to his injuries, Simon has a severe communication impairment, but his wife, Marianne, understands just how much it means to him to be able to participate in the ceremony.
She explained: “Help for Heroes has made it possible for Simon to experience activities that he didn’t think he would do again after the accident. They have helped him to make special memories with his family.
“The charity arranged a trip for our family to go to Devon, where Simon experienced adapted surfing and adapted mountain biking with his young son.
“Remembrance is incredibly important to Simon. He thinks we should all take the time to honour those who lost their lives fighting for their country, and he feels very proud to take part in the parade, representing Help for Heroes.
“It is also special for us as a family, as we didn’t think Simon would be involved in a military parade again. It will be very emotional to see him back at The Cenotaph. He is very excited.
"We hope this experience will boost Simon’s self-esteem and remind him that he’s still very much part of the military community, despite his accident.”
In September, to thank Help for Heroes for its support, Simon underwent a five-mile sponsored walk and raised more than £3,000 for the charity.
A spokesman for Help for Heroes added: “As we join the nation to commemorate the men and women who lost their lives while serving our country, Help for Heroes also remembers those still fighting their own battles today.
“We remain at the side of veterans and their families who are struggling with painful injuries, mental trauma, isolation, and more – providing life-changing support for as long as it takes.”
The charity supports veterans and their families from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians and their families who worked alongside our Armed Forces.
