Blesma plays its part at Remembrance parade

Blesma Members were once again out in force at the National Service for Remembrance Sunday parade at The Cenotaph in November. A total of 53 Members took part in the event in central London – 21 of whom used the now familiar bright-red scooters – creating a real impact for the thousands lining the streets and the millions of TV viewers around the world.

Jackie Cross (right) and her husband Tim, former military musicians with the Territorial Army and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Regiment respectively, took part for the first time and were moved by the tributes and acts of remembrance. “It was fantastic to be a part of such a wonderful day, and we were honoured to be among the Blesma contingent,” said Jackie, 60, from Hampshire. “As we are both musicians, we are normally involved with our local Remembrance services. Tim usually plays The Last Post, but this year we asked if we could attend, and Blesma made it happen. It was such an amazing day!”

Making sure everyone was where they needed to be when they needed to be there was the responsibility of Blesma’s Head of Activities and Events Jess March, and Clare Wellings, Blesma Events Co-ordinator. “Remembrance is always such a poignant event, and we feel a lot of pressure to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible, as we know how important it is to our Members,” said Jess. “Clare picked up the lion’s share of the organisation this year, and thanks to her the whole weekend ran like clockwork for the Association.

“We are always grateful to Electric Mobility who donate their scooters for free on the day, and their kind staff even drive them to the event for us. It’s certainly something that we are all proud to attend.”

Running for remembrance. The Cyprus Remembrance 11k took place on Saturday 08 November. The event, which was organised by Lieutenant Colonel Matt Hastings, took place at Episkopi Garrison in Cyprus alongside the weekly Parkrun, and saw 126 people from across the Defence community either run or walk the distance. British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) covered the event, as friends and family came together to pay their respects and raise money for Blesma.

The event raised an incredible £2,310 for the Association through a combination of registration fees, donations and on-the-day activities, which included a popular cake sale.