Sheffield's British Legion gives advice on Remembrance Day as Covid-19 has 'devastating' impact

Patricia Davey, chairman of the Frecheville Branch of The Royal British Legion and the Joint Council Ex-Servicemen Association, has said that Covid-19 has had a ‘devastating’ impact on Remembrance Day activities this year, however is encouraging people to mark the day in new ways adapted to the lockdown.

Indoor Remembrance Sunday services and large processions are cancelled in Sheffield, and have been replaced with televised and live streamed versions.

The British Legion in Sheffield has decided to encourage people to recognise the sacrifice of soldiers in much the same way as NHS staff were celebrated during the lockdown, with a clap to precede the traditional two-minute silence which is to be taken on doorsteps.

People across Sheffield urged to join 'doorstep silence' for Remembrance Day

“The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating as far as Remembrance Sunday is concerned,” Pat said.

“It is going to be very different this year as we cannot have processions and services with people in their hundreds or thousands as we normally would.

"Instead, Sheffield City Council and the Joint Council of Ex-Servicemen Association have organised a wreath-laying at a cenotaph in Sheffield which will be live streamed for people to watch from home at 11am on Sunday.

"We are encouraging people to stand outside their houses and take the silence from their doorsteps.

"And one member of the public suggested that we ask people to stand outside their houses two minutes before the silence and clap to remember people who gave their lives in conflicts. I thought that was a brilliant idea.”

There will also be a Remembrance Service broadcast on television from the Royal Albert Hall, which people can watch from home.

And Pat said that as long as social distancing is observed, she does not think there will be a problem with people going to lay wreaths, provided they do so alone.

“As somebody who wants to remember my grandfather who died at the Somme, I expect that people will want to go to a cenotaph to lay a wreath,” Pat said.

"As long as they go as individuals and not in groups, and follow the government rules which are in place for good reason, people are encouraged to celebrate in a way they feel is right.”

The changes to Remembrance Sunday come as the British Legion has struggled to raise money as it usually would, due to volunteers being unable to go out and there being fewer places open where people can buy poppies.

Pat said: "The Frecheville branch has, as far as I am aware, the only permanent stall in Sheffield which is in Crystal Peaks. That is not doing too badly considering we have much less stock and we have had to stop people over 70 from collecting.

"We have a few volunteers manning that and they are doing pretty well, keeping it going for the British Legion and the Poppy Appeal. But we’ve done nowhere near as well as we normally would.”

The British Legion is instead encouraging people to order poppies online to distribute in their bubbles to raise money.

Donations can also be made online.