Thousands are expected to gather to pay tribute to the work of our servicemen and women for Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 24.

One of the biggest events is taking place at the at Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham.

Medway Council with the Royal School of Military Engineering is hosting the day which will be a fun, family-friendly event between 11am and 5pm.

There will be have-a-go activities, including driving a digger and a parade at 12.30pm, led by the City of Rochester Pipe Band and involving hundreds of cadets, veterans and serving military personnel.

There will be a Camp Bastion Afghanistan display, naval forces display area and a Royal Engineer trade village.

Visitors can look at historic military vehicles and watch helicopters fly in. There will be a variety of bands and a military choir, plus performances by the Swingtime Sweethearts, Brompton Military Wives’ Choir and the BAE Systems Band.

Nine years ago, Medway hosted the first national Armed Forces Day when 30,000 people turned up to recognise both past and present services’ personnel, and the event has been close to the collective heart of local people ever since.

This year's main event nationwide takes place in Liverpool.

NORTH KENT EVENT

The Greenhithe and Swanscombe Royal British Legion is holding its Armed Forces Day celebrations at the club in London Road, Greenhithe this Saturday. There will be stalls, cadet forces displays, military demonstrations, music and a party bus. The event will be opened by the Mayor of Dartford, Cllr Rosanna Currans. The entertainment runs from 1pm to 6pm.

FOLKESTONE EVENT

Armed Forces Day in Folkestone takes place from 11am to 4.30pm on The Leas this Saturday. Events include a Royal Gurkha Regiment weapons display, an air display and flypast, laser rifle range and a military show. Supplying the music will be the Combined Bands of the Folkestone & Hythe Sea Cadets, the Air Cadets Band and a band from Folkestone School for Girls.