The city centre will host a parade featuring veterans, cadet groups, and youth organisations marching onto the Market Place. Serving members of HMS Ambush, which holds the Freedom of the City, will also be in attendance. The Royal Engineers 148 company will not be parading this year.
Ahead of the main parade, Surtal Arts will perform patriotic songs on the Market Place from 10:15am. At 10:35am, students from the Royal School for the Deaf Derby will lead a session teaching the audience to say "We Will Remember Them" in British Sign Language (BSL). Following the wreath laying, pupils will perform the poem in BSL.
The Very Revd Dr Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby, will lead a service at 10:55am, with a two-minute silence observed at 11am, followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and dedicated viewing areas will be available on the Market Place, with the ceremony streamed onto a large screen.
A shorter service will also take place at the War Memorial at 11am on Armistice Day, Wednesday 11 November. The Grade-II listed War Memorial, nearly 100 years old, has been cleaned but will require significant restoration work in the future, with proposals to be considered alongside Market Place redevelopment plans.
“"Remembrance is an incredibly important event in the civic calendar, and I'm pleased we are once again working with local organisations to host commemorations in the city centre. These occasions are not only about those who served in the World Wars and subsequent conflicts, but also the sacrifices made by people from across the Commonwealth. I'd encourage residents to join us on the Market Place as we pay tribute and reflect on their service and sacrifice."
Following the parade and service, the public will be welcome to pay personal respects and lay wreaths at the War Memorial once the security cordon is lifted. Attendees are asked not to take photographs or videos during the commemorations as a safeguarding measure. Local groups wishing to lay a wreath should contact the Council's Civic Services team at civic.support@derby.gov.uk.
