A special ceremony where Birmingham’s emergency services and frontline workers will pay homage to the UK’s fallen military is to be addressed by Professor Carl Chinn.
The city’s popular historian will recall the history of Remembrance Day at the event at 10am on Tuesday 2 November, at Brindleyplace on Westside.
The ceremony will also include performances by West Midlands Police Brass Band, conducted by retired policeman Cornell ‘Barney’ Barnes, who served 25 years in the Army and another 25 years-plus in the police before retiring aged 66 in 2016.
Westside BID has worked closely with partners at Brindleyplace to organise the event which will see ‘blue light’ emergency frontline workers presented with giant poppies to help commemorate the forthcoming Remembrance Day.
Elaine Weir, Westside BID’s business liaison manager, said: “We feel so honoured along with our partners at Brindleyplace to help pay homage to the UK military who have fallen in armed conflicts.
“From the Great War through to the Second World War, and then during campaigns in Malaysia, Korea, the Falklands and the Irish conflicts, so many have lost their lives, and we will always remember them.
“We are delighted to have Carl Chinn reminding the audience about the part played by poppies in Remembrance Day, and we feel privileged to have former soldier and celebrated bobby Cornell ‘Barney’ Barnes and his West Midlands Police Brass Band at the event.
The special event starts at 10am on Tuesday 2 November outside number 5 Brindleyplace on Westside, with a minute’s silence at 11am. The Reverend Tim Hughes from St Luke’s Church on Gas Street will then lead prayers.
It will be attended by various ‘blue light’ emergency frontline workers, military veterans, Royal British Legion collectors, staff from Westside BID and Brindleyplace, along with VIPs from across Birmingham.
Ms Weir added: “Everyone is welcome to come and watch and hopefully we can also raise some more money for the Royal British Legion.”
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