Falklands events finalised by Fareham Council
By Connor Steel
FAREHAM will mark the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War next month using a special morning of events across the pedestrianised area of West Street, with finalised plans being published in a council press release on Thursday afternoon (April 14) following months of organisation and discussion behind the scenes.
And now residents are being invited to remember the 255 British servicemen who died during the conflict running between April-June 1982 on May 14; events running between 10:30am and 12:30pm including a new memorial plaque with the addition of forty flowers to the arch near both Poundland and Subway.
HMS Collingwood will add to the anniversary celebrations by exercising their ‘Freedom of the Borough’ and marching through Fareham Town Centre alongside veterans and accompanied by the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines. The march will start at 10:45am from outside the Civil Offices and are scheduled to head down the short route down High Street into West Street; ending at the Falklands Arch.
At 11am The Mayor of Fareham will take the general salute and inspect the platoons, followed by an Arms Drill display and religious service with prayers and speeches. Upon its conclusion The Mayor and Falklands Veteran, Derek Kimber, will then unveil the new memorial plaque at the Falklands Arch, and 40 Pale Maiden flowers, the national flower of the Falklands, which will be affixed to the arch to create a lasting tribute.
At 11:45am the march will then head from West Street, past the bus station, onto Vannes Parade and up through the Falklands Arch back to the podium, before returning to the Civic Offices, marching all the way.
To allow the march to go ahead, there will be several road closures on the day from 10:30am until 12.30pm. The roads affected are currently High Street, Harper Way, Quay Street, West Street (from Quay Street to High Street) and Civic Way. Public transport restrictions may also be in force although this has not been confirmed, with readers encouraged to find more information by visiting: www.fareham.gov.uk/falklands.
PICTURED BY FAREHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL: Poster design confirming the events scheduled for May.
