A newlywed couple from Kent were among the British Red Cross volunteers who honoured the fallen of the First World War at the National Service of Remembrance parade in London.

Louise and Alex Bannister, from Tonbridge, joined Red Cross colleagues at the event in Whitehall today . The pair took part in the march past, volunteering together for the first time as husband and wife after marrying two weeks ago.

They were representing the Red Cross in Kent, where they are both event first aid and emergency response volunteers and are regularly called out to evacuations, floods and fires, supporting the emergency services and providing first aid assistance. They are based at the British Red Cross centre in Paddock Wood.

During the First World War, 90,000 people volunteered for the British Red Cross as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) in auxiliary hospitals at home and overseas.

Louise, 40, and Alex, 44, were among 25 representatives of the organisation taking part, including those forming part of the civilian services contingent who paraded alongside representatives from the police, fire service, ambulance service, prison service and St John’s Ambulance.

They were joined at the Cenotaph by representatives of the armed forces.

Alex has dedicated many years to the Red Cross, and recently received his 20-year service badge from the organisation. Five years ago Louise decided to take up volunteering herself.

Alex said: “I told her ‘the Red Cross is full of nice people — come join me!’”

The charity holds a special significance in Alex’s family history, as his grandmother was very active in the Belgian Red Cross during the Second World War. His family also take great pride in his great-grandfather’s service medals from the First World War.

Alex explained: “When Belgium was invaded at the start of the war, my great-grandfather and his brother managed to escape and were rescued at sea. They later joined up with other Belgian troops and went back across to fight.

“He was shot in his left shoulder, which meant he couldn’t move his left arm. Over the course of his life, the bullet travelled down to his left elbow and my mother remembers seeing it as a young girl.”

Alex and Louise are passionate about helping people in their community and were honoured to take part in the Remembrance Sunday parade.

Alex said: “It means a huge amount to me to have been chosen to represent the British Red Cross today as a volunteer of over 15 years.

“Remembrance Day is about commemorating the thousands of volunteers who put themselves at risk and lost their lives in conflict so that myself and others can be here today. It is an honour for Louise and I to represent our fellow volunteers who give their time to help people in crisis.”

The British Red Cross is this year commemorating the role it played during the First World War and is working with schools to deliver teaching materials about the role of volunteering during the conflict.

There were more than 120 Red Cross-run auxiliary hospitals in Kent. Buildings from town halls to elementary schools were converted into hospitals and staffed by, among others, members of the local VAD, who were trained in first aid and home nursing. In many cases, women in the local neighbourhood volunteered on a part-time basis.

The Red Cross has also launched an online database of VAD records so that people can research individuals who volunteered for the organisation during the First World War and the work they did.

Anyone can use the database to research the roles their ancestors may have played during the conflict at www.vad.redcross.org.uk

Volunteering remains just as central to the work of the British Red Cross today, however, and 2017 was one of the most challenging in the organisation’s history with volunteers responding to support people affected by the Manchester Arena bombing, terror attacks at Westminster Bridge and London Bridge and the Grenfell Tower fire.

Earlier this year, Alex and Louise both received the Dunant Award, the Red Cross’ highest honour, for the support they gave during the Grenfell response.

Alex said: “It was extra special to take part in the Remembrance Day commemorations this year with Louise by my side.

“We’ve been together for nine years. I’m the luckiest man in the world.”