More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
NHS workers will lead a two minute silence in Kent on Remembrance Sunday as we pay tribute to service men and women who have fought and died for the country.
While services are taking place across the county, many parades have been cancelled and congregations will not be able to gather due to lockdown restrictions.
2020 marks 101 years since ceremonies to commemorate the war dead were first held but even the Remembrance Sunday event at the National Cenotaph has been adjusted to help minimise the spread of coronavirus.
More than ever, the work of the NHS has been highlighted this year throughout the pandemic and three medics will lead today's silence on kmfm at 11am.
Kate O'Loughlin, a children's medical doctor from Medway, has reflected on the lives of her grandparent's during the Second World War.
Her father's parents were posted to China while her maternal grandparents were sent to Europe with her grandfather working as a medical officer on the front line.
She said: "I can not fathom the conditions that medical practitioners would have had to have faced during these war times, with little resources, critical unwell people in the masses, literally being forced to make decisions on who can be treated and who can not, including the lives of children."
Wendy Hatega from Medway is a British born Ghanaian who is a paediatric sister and emergency nurse practitioner.
Growing up she did not know how to identify with Remembrance day as she did not have a family connection. It was only when she learnt as an adult about heroes including Herbert Morris of the British West Indies Regiment and Walter Tull, the first black officer to lead British soldiers to battle in the first world war that she did.
She said: "The British war history, just like the NHS of then and now, has the stories of heroes from different races and cultures who dedicated their lives, sacrificed and worked in unison for the greater good of the United Kingdom. United in named, united in history."
Katie Paoli, who is also from Medway, remembers her grandmother who worked as a nursing auxiliary and cared for those injured during the second world war.
She recalls being told stories of how communities rallied together during difficult times, shared rations and looked out for each other.
"I think about the loneliness of loved ones being separated with little or no form communication making me realise just how lucky we are that during lockdown we can stay in constant contact with our nearest and dearest."
Listen to kmfm shortly before 11am to hear from Kate, Wendy and Katie and join us in two minutes of silence.
