Newark and Sherwood residents urged to mark Remembrance Sunday in their own private way due to coronavirus

Hopes of being able to mark Remembrance Sunday have been thrown into disarray because of the latest coronavirus restrictions.

Few official commemorative acts will take place, in order to minimise the risk of people coming together in groups.

But people have been urged to mark the event in their own way, and not let the war fallen be forgotten despite the pandemic.

Paul Spreckley, Poppy Appeal organiser for the Newark branch of the Royal British Legion, said there would be no official legion Act of Remembrance at the war memorial at Newark Parish Church.

“There will be no parade, no standards,” he said.

“We cannot stop people going there, but we do not want to be responsible for people turning up.

“Although we must remember what happened, we must do it in our own private way and hopefully next year we will be back to normal again.”

The church will open for socially-distanced private prayer and reflection from 10am to noon.

Church warden Tony Roberts said: “We could not have the 11am silence outside at the cenotaph. People would be bound to come along, either by design or by accident, and it would be irresponsible of us to do that.”

Town clerk Alan Mellor said: “It is with the greatest regret it has been decided to cancel this year’s formal Remembrance Sunday service at the Memorial Cross in St Mary’s Church gardens.

“The town council has taken this decision following extensive discussions with both the church and representatives of the Royal British Legion. It was unanimously agreed that given the significant number of people who attend the event each year it would not have been possible to control it in accordance with the current coronavirus restrictions and maintain appropriate social distancing.

“The national act of Remembrance at the cenotaph in London will also be a much reduced event; it will, however, still be televised and the national advice from the Royal British Legion is that they are encouraging people across the nations to ensure Remembrance Sunday is still marked appropriately by taking part in remote and socially-distanced Remembrance activity, whether that be watching the service on television or pausing for the two-minute silence in their home or on their doorstep."

The mayor and the chairman of the district council will join representatives of the legion to lay wreaths at the memorial on Sunday morning. Other individuals/organisations can lay wreaths on the Memorial Cross, but are asked to do so after 10.45am.

On Wednesday at 11am there will be a small gathering of Armed Forces groups marking a two-minute silence on the Town Hall steps.

Anyone attending is urged to social distance and take personal responsibility to minimise contact with others.