Armed Forces Day celebrations - Scarborough June 26, 2010

The main spectacle of this year's event will be a very unique homecoming parade that includes the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment who will march through the town to exercise their Freedom of the Borough of Scarborough. On this occasion they will be joined by the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards who are also celebrating their recent return from a six month operational tour of duty in Afghanistan where the two battalions served side by side.

This will be a unique opportunity to see both battalions parading in one town together. The parade led by the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band will be one of the largest the town has seen, with an estimated 400 soldiers taking part. The parade is planned to start at 2.30pm and will march through town to the South Bay (full details of the route will be available nearer the event).

There will also be fun filled attractions to entertain the young and old alike taking place in Scarborough's South Bay including a tug of war competition, paintball range and climbing wall. There will also be a selection of military vehicles, weapons and exhibitions to inspect.

HMS Explorer, one of Yorkshire's Universities Royal Naval Unit training ships which has a specific role in providing training opportunities for midshipmen from Yorkshire's Universities of Hull, Bradford and Sheffield will also be taking part in the afternoon's activities.

The day's programme additionally includes a Spitfire display from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and The Band of Yorkshire Volunteers will be on hand to entertain the crowds. A large parade of Standards will head up a veterans parade and will be supported by local cadets and uniformed youth groups.

In addition to the main event on Saturday 26 June, a special flag raising ceremony will take place on Monday 21 June at Scarborough Town Hall to officially commence a week of celebrations in honour of the armed forces.

Other events planned for the week include an Armed Forces Day fundraising concert on Wednesday 23 June which is being organised by Scarborough Concert Orchestra and Scarborough College and a 'Party in the Park' which will be held on Sunday 27 June by the Friends of Peasholm Park in Peasholm Park, Scarborough.

Scarborough welcomes all veterans and serving troops and we are playing host to service families and their children by offering a range of complimentary activities, rides, rock and ices etc.

Scarborough is home to the Heroes Welcome scheme, which has now been launched nationally and supports Armed Forces personnel by giving discounts, service upgrades or special acknowledgement in various retail outlets and restaurants.

For more details please visit our event website:

##www.heroeswelcome.co.uk##

All the events are free - more information will be published as and when events/activities are confirmed so watch this space!

Contact Rowena Marsden, Event Organiser
Phone: 01723 383615
Email: rowena.marsden@scarborough.gov.uk

John Senior, Co-ordinator of Heroes Welcome, host for Armed Forces personnel
Phone: 01723 364042
Email: captsen1@aol.com