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Following
the Parade, Fred Jones, Chairman of the Ross Branch of the
Legion, read the Kohima Exhortation and led the audience
in a minutes silence after which the Town Band played 'The
War Years.' The audience then enjoyed performances from
'The Voice Squad' who sang three pieces including 'Bridge
over troubled water'. The Forest of Dean Male Voice Choir
sang 'Comrades in arms', 'Sailing' and 'There's a land between
two rivers' and the Ledbury Community Choir sang a medley
of folk songs from the countries of the UK. In between each
choir there were readings from a Brownie, Cub, Guide, Scout
and Explorer Scout.
During
the break fund-raising items were on sale in support of
the Legion and Help for Heroes and there was a raffle of
prizes donated by local businesses. The audience were also
advised to buy flags for waving during the second half!
After the raffle draw the audience sat down to enjoy a performance
from 'Chasing Charlie' a young band of John Kyrle students.
This was their first public performance and they played
three songs, including 'Brothers in arms' and left the stage
to loud applause. There were then readings from a cadet
from each of the three Cadet Forces in the town followed
by the Ledbury Community Choir who sang a medley of songs
from 'Les Miserables' which included 'Bring Him Home' and
left not a dry eye in the house. This was followed by a
reading by Rachel Bushell, representing the War Widows Association
and a very stirring speech by Brig. Jim Hockenhull OBE,
representing Her Majesty's Armed Forces. He read the citation
of a soldier decorated for his bravery in Iraq and a message
from The Queen to her subjects on Armed Forces Day.
During
the finale of the evening, the MC told the audience that
loud singing and vigorous flag-waving was compulsory! If
the singing wasn't loud enough - well, they'd just have
to do it all again!! He needn't have worried as the Choirs
and Town Band led the audience in a rousing chorus of 'Jerusalem'
and 'Land of Hope and Glory'. The whole audience were on
their feet, singing at the top of their voices and waving
Union Jacks for all they were worth. The Standards were
then retrieved from the Mayor as the Town Band played 'Nimrod'
and the Parade formed along the sides of the hall. The Town
Band and Choirs then led the audience in 'God Save The Queen'
and the MC called for 'three cheers for Her Majesty the
Queen and Her Armed Forces'. It was a fitting end to an
evening of celebration, pride and unashamed Britishness.
The
Ross Branch of the Legion would like to thank all of the
performers involved in the concert, all of whom gave of
their time free of charge and gave such wonderful performances.
They would also like to thank those who supported the concert;
staff at the Larruperz centre who gave help and advice,
local traders who displayed posters and gave raffle prizes,
Multiprint who printed the programmes at cost price 'because
it's for the armed forces', the Ross Lions who sponsored
the programmes, the ladies who helped with refreshments
and the ladies of the Womens' Section who ran the raffle.
Special thanks must go to Ben Abbott who made such a brilliant
job of MC and to Ian Hedges who organized the Parade. The
evening was a huge success thanks to all the people who
got involved, including the audience who thoroughly enjoyed
it and who joined in so enthusiastically with the Proms
finale - the sight of all those Union Jacks waving to the
tune of Land of Hope and Glory made all of the hard work
worth while.
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