Community Fundraising Secures Bulwell Remembrance Parade

The annual Remembrance parade in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, has been secured following a successful fundraising appeal that reached its goal in under 24 hours. Eleanor Lang, the event’s organiser, expressed her profound surprise at the community’s swift and generous response to fund the procession. This 40-year-old tradition faced cancellation due to funding cuts. However, local residents and businesses collectively contributed over £2,500, ensuring the parade will proceed as planned on 10 November at 10:30 GMT. Previously reliant on councillor ward grants, the parade’s funding ceased after Nottingham City Council declared itself ‘effectively bankrupt’. The event is now being coordinated in partnership with ex-servicemen from the Oakleigh Lodge Social Club on Highbury Road. The funds collected will cover essential costs, including road closures, insurance, and the engagement of a small pipe band. Participants in the parade will include ex-servicemen, cadets, representatives from the Royal British Legion, and various uniformed organizations like the Scouts and Brownies. Elizabeth Lang, Ms Lang’s 22-year-old daughter, is set to march as a Guides leader. She remarked that it would be a proud occasion for the young Guides accompanying her as they pay tribute to those who have fallen. According to Ms Lang, the parade serves as a vital occasion for community members, both young and old, to unite. Ray Fielding, chairman of the Nottinghamshire Royal British Legion, commented that younger generations comprehend Remembrance Day more deeply than some older generations might perceive. He stated, “There are so many examples of how the baton of Remembrance is handed down through the generations.” He further added, “We must remember too there have been so many conflicts since World War Two, today’s veterans are young men and women, mortally wounded, or with life-changing injuries.” On 10 November, Highbury Road will be closed between 10:15 and 12:30 to accommodate the parade. This closure will span from Northcote Road, adjacent to the Oakleigh Lodge Social Club, up to Church Lane, which is next to St Mary’s Church. These closures are intended to facilitate the parade’s movement along its route, culminating in its arrival at St Mary’s Church around 10:50, where a Remembrance service is scheduled.