Please give a thought at 11am today to those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day give us a chance to remember all those conflicts where we have lost men, and more recently, women.

As the years go on, veterans from the First and Second World War have died off to the point where we no longer have any living serving war personnel from the Great War.

With a massive death toll, it was this conflict that saw the Remembrance movement emerge.

Thanks to this, the lessons of the past continue to be retold and younger generations learn the importance of remembering.

Recent years have seen a resurgence in youth organisations like the Scout movement attending services after a noticeable dip in youngsters paying their respects at the services – certainly in Dover, Deal and Sandwich. Organisations like the Manwood’s CCF Band and youth corps for branches of the armed services have been loyal attendees throughout. This is as encouraging as it is proper. It teaches youngsters respect for our past.

If you have youngsters at home, please be sure to endorse what they learn at school about Remembrance.

Show them that it is important to you as an integral part of our history. If you need inspiration, recite John Maxwell Edmonds’ poem:

“When you go home, tell them of us and say

“For their tomorrow, we gave our today.”

The services:

Deal: Assemble at 10.30am at the War Memorial at Deal & Walmer Victory Hospital, London Road, Deal. There will be a service at the Cross of Sacrifice at Hamilton Road Cemetery on Wednesday, November 11. Assemble at 10.30am.

Dover: Meet at Marks & Spencer in Biggin Street at 10.30am before parading to the War Memorial outside Maison Dieu House for two minutes silence and wreath laying from 11am.

Sandwich: Councillors will process to the war memorial in Market Street to arrive at 10.50. There will be two minutes silence at 11am followed by prayers and wreath laying. A service will be held at St Clement's Church at 11.20am. At 6.30pm John Rutter's Requiem will be performed at St Clement's Church.

Walmer: There will be an Act of Remembrance in the churchyard of St Saviour's Church, The Strand, Walmer, at 11am. It will be followed by morning prayer for those who wish to stay. There will also be an act of Remembrance on Wednesday, November 11, for 11am.