City parade to honour armed services

Serving officers and veterans will come together for the event on Saturday, June 19, which will include a parade and ceremony with the Lord Mayor of Sheffield in the Peace Gardens, and demonstrations and information displays by the armed forces and reserve services in Barkers Pool.

Live music will come from Carmen Ghia and the Hot Rods, a five piece rockabilly swing band who will play in the Peace Gardens.

Vince McDonagh, from the Sheffield and District Joint Council of Ex-Service Associations, said: "This is our third veterans parade and we like to improve on it year on year.

"I'd like to welcome any veterans from the Sheffield area to come along and join us."

Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Coun Alan Law, added: "This is a very special day where we, the citizens of Sheffield, can show our appreciation, support and interest in what the armed forces do on our behalf and what veterans of past conflicts did for our country. I'm honoured and delighted to have the chance as Lord Mayor to take part in this celebration event showing just how proud we are of our armed forces, past and present."

A special Armed Forces Day flag will fly at Sheffield Town Hall for a week from Saturday, June 19. A Freedom of the City parade by the Third Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment is also being held on Wednesday, June 23.

Major Keith Tomlinson, area recruiting officer for South Yorkshire, said: "This is a special day for the general public of the city of Sheffield to honour, acknowledge and celebrate the magnificent job our country's armed forces, past and present, do in serving our country with great pride and passion, often under very difficult circumstances at home and overseas.

"Armed forces servicemen and women are ordinary people who do extraordinary things to help keep our country safe at home and abroad."