Pay your respects at Kent’s Remembrance Day services
Published: 05:00, 31 October 2024
Updated: 11:54, 05 November 2024
Take a moment to pay your respects to the Armed Forces and their families this Remembrance Day.
Towns all over Kent are hosting parades and memorial services for people to pay tribute to those who put their lives on the line. Here are just a few places where you can salute our soldiers this November…
CANTERBURY: The service starts at Buttermarket, the old market square outside the entrance to Canterbury Cathedral, where wreaths will be laid at the war memorial from 10.25am. There will also be a service held inside the cathedral at 10.50am. Then, from 12 noon, there will be a parade with local military groups, charities and community clubs.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at Buttermarket, Canterbury Cathedral and Canterbury High Street
CHATHAM: The town will host a parade that starts at 10.20am from Chatham High Street and ends up at Victoria Gardens at 10.45am, where there will be a commemorative service and wreath laying ceremony. Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, will lay a wreath before the parade returns to the High Street where there will be a salute outside the Central Theatre.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at Chatham High Street and Victoria Gardens
DOVER: Crowds are set to gather in Dover to watch the parade of standards, veterans and community groups march from Biggin Street to the war memorial at Maison Dieu House. There will then be a two-minute silence, wreath laying and a memorial service led by the Mayor of Dover, who will take the salute at St Mary’s Church.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at Biggin Street, Maison Dieu House and St Mary’s Church in Dover
FOLKESTONE: A fundraising concert with performances from the Shorncliffe Military Wives Choir, Shepway Brass Academy, Dance Fusion, Royal Marines and Army and Air Cadets returns this year. The Youth Festival of Remembrance also includes a two-minute silence and a short dedication service and, outside of the venue, a parade will be held near the town’s war memorial at The Leas.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at Leas Cliff Hall and The Leas. Tickets to the concert can be booked online here. Tickets cost £9 and all money goes to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
HYTHE: Join the service at Hythe’s war memorial where residents will gather to commemorate the lost lives from the First and Second World Wars from 10.30am. Groups such as the Scouts, Beavers, Sea Cadets and Air Cadets will take turns to lay their wreaths and pay their respects in a parade that runs from St John’s Church to Prospect Place at 11.30am.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at St John’s Church and Prospect Place in Hythe
MAIDSTONE: The county town’s Remembrance Sunday events begin at 10.30am when a parade will take place from Week Street to Broadway’s war memorial. The service will commence at the memorial, including the laying of wreaths, and there will be a two-minute silence at 11am. The parade will then proceed to the High Street where the Mayor of Maidstone, Lt Col Ryan Castro RE, Commanding Officer of 36 Engineer Regiment and the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers will take the salute. There will also be some road closures during the service and parade.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at Week Street, Broadway and the High Street in Maidstone
ROCHESTER: A parade, led by the Royal British Legion, will march through Rochester’s historic streets from 10.25am. There will be service at Rochester Cathedral which is open to the public, however there are a very limited number of seats available on a first come, first served basis. After the cathedral service, the parade will return to the High Street and stop to lay wreaths at the war memorial.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at Rochester High Street and Rochester Cathedral
SEVENOAKS: This year, The Vine will host Sevenoaks’ annual Remembrance Service. The service itself will begin at 10.50am and is led by Revd Canon Angus MacLeay of St Nicholas Church. There will be music, including the Last Post, played by the Eynsford Concert Band during the service.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at The Vine in Sevenoaks
SITTINGBOURNE: The event begins with a Remembrance Service at 10am at St Michael’s Church. The procession, led by the Royal British Legion Riders, will then go from St Michael’s Church to Central Avenue and, when the parade arrives at the war memorial at 11am, there will be a two-minute silence and the laying of the wreaths.
Details: Sunday, November 10 at St Michael’s Church and Central Avenue in Sittingbourne
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Sam Lawrie