How has corona virus changed Remembrance Day in Cheltenham?

With lockdown and Corona virus still spreading, Remembrance Day this year is a little different, but the soldiers who fought for our lives are still being remembered by the people of Cheltenham and around the world.

Roy Roberts, the chairman of the Cheltenham branch of the Royal British legion, explained in an interview about how corona virus has had a big impact on Remembrance Day this year. Over the past six years, Gloucestershire raised £600,000 from poppies from places such as street collections and supermarkets, but obviously this year, this is more difficult. Usually 1,000 poppy tins are used for collecting change in Cheltenham, but this year just over 200 were used.

Roberts explained how he has experienced war and people with associations to war and conflict typically seem to be more involved with Remembrance Day, but he appreciates that people who don’t have close relations to the war, still participate in Remembrance Day, especially given the current pandemic. “The younger generation is still interested in what’s happening” he said and welcomes the fact that young people want to get involved. Lockdown has affected the mental health of some war veteran’s and raising money for this is essential because it’s difficult to get support – participating in Remembrance Day can go far in helping war veterans.

University of Gloucestershire’s Chaplain, Simon Witcombe expressed the importance of Remembrance Day for the University. Usually a ceremony is held at the Universities Oxtall’s campus outside reception which involves throwing poppies off the balcony for fallen soldiers but this year it’s been done differently, taking place in a garden created in 1940 in the early years of the Second World War. The decision has been made to also remember people who have lost the battle against corona virus as well as giving thought towards NHS workers.

He also expressed how important it is that the university get involved on Remembrance Day as the University was a college during the First World War and 56 men and 1 woman from the college sadly died during this war. The University have everyone’s names and what they did at the college, so Remembrance Day hits close to home.

Corona virus has changed how Remembrance Day will be celebrated in Cheltenham this year, without it’s big ceremony on the promenade, but it’s certain that people are remembering the fallen soldiers with 2 minute silences and in their own ways.