Honouring the fallen: Lord Mayor to lead Leeds in the act of remembrance

This year, the act of remembrance will be held at Victoria Gardens on Sunday 10 November. At 10:50am, a procession of dignitaries will leave Leeds Civic Hall, before falling in behind a parade of ex-servicemen and women, veterans’ organisations, and current serving military personnel, who will lead the march to the war memorial from Rossington Street.

Amongst those joining the Lord Mayor to lay wreaths will be the Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson, the Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor James Lewis and other party leaders, the Leeds Children’s Mayor, Esosa Ehioghae, members of parliament and other political representatives, together with family representatives of the fallen. 

The multi-faith service at the war memorial will be led by the Bishop of Kirkstall Right Reverand Arun Arora, with contributions from Rabbi Anthony Gilbert, Senior Imam Qari Muhammad Asim MBE, and the Very Rev Canon Father Matthew Habron.

At 11am, attendees will join the rest of the nation in a two-minute silence, which will be preceded by a bugler sounding the Last Post. The service will be broadcast on two big screens to allow members of the public who are not near the front to watch the proceedings.

Following the service, the Lord Mayor and civic representatives will proceed to Millennium Square, where a salute and march past will take place.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, said: “It is a great honour to lead our fantastic city, with its deep-rooted connections to the armed forces, in a poignant and moving act of remembrance.

“In these globally troubled times, it is more important than ever that we come together as one community to honour and remember the service and sacrifices of the British and Commonwealth armed forces in defending our freedoms. We also use the occasion to recognise and honour those who have lost their lives because of conflict or terrorism together with marking the vital role played by the emergency services and civilians.”

Originally instituted to remember those lost in the First World War, the Remembrance Sunday service is held every year on the second Sunday in November, the closest Sunday to Armistice Day on 11 November. Today, the service commemorates the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian men and women of two world wars and all the conflicts since 1945. 

To mark Armistice Day on Monday 11 November, there will be a short service with no parade from 10:50 at Leeds’s Victoria Gardens War Memorial, with wreaths laid by the Lord Mayor and Lord-Lieutenant.