Joy for forces flag day initiative
LOWESTOFT man Bruno Peek was last night celebrating the nationwide take-up of his idea for showing support to Britain's Armed Forces.Mr Peek, who organised the national display of burning beacons for the Millennium and Queen's Jubilee, approached the MoD last year with his idea for local authorities to fly official Armed Forces Day flags at the same moment, 10.
LOWESTOFT man Bruno Peek was last night celebrating the nationwide take-up of his idea for showing support to Britain's Armed Forces.
Mr Peek, who organised the national display of burning beacons for the Millennium and Queen's Jubilee, approached the MoD last year with his idea for local authorities to fly official Armed Forces Day flags at the same moment, 10.30am, on Monday, June 22.
As well as more than 450 local authorities, members of the public, businesses and schools will also be flying the flag - based on the Union Jack - to mark the beginning of a week of events leading up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 27.
Pageantmaster Mr Peek, who phoned about 90pc of the local authorities, said: 'Councils from the Shetlands to Land's End, the Scilly Isles to Lowestoft, will be taking part.
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'The idea is to say thank you to all the men and women in the armed forces who work so hard around the world, whether it be in a war zone, or in a peace-keeping role.
'At 10.30am on June 22, they will be able to look at their watches and realise the whole country is thinking about them.'
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Armed Forces Day flags will also be flown where British servicemen and women are serving overseas, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
Veterans minister Kevan Jones said: 'Armed Forces Day is an opportunity for the whole country to show their appreciation of what our service personnel have done and continue to do. The fact that so many councils, businesses, schools and members of the public want to show their support by flying a flag will mean a great deal, particularly to those serving this country today.'
The centrepiece of the inaugural annual Armed Forces Day will be an event at the historic dockyard at Chatham, Kent, where there will be flypasts by the Red Arrows and veterans of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, military displays, and celebration parades.
Armed Forces Day flags, which measure 5ft by 3ft, are still available to order. They cost �10, which includes postage and packaging to UK addresses. Orders can be placed at www.piggotts.co.uk or by e-mailing armedforcesdayflag @piggotts.co.uk
