Dear Resident

This year the Parish Council are unable to carry out the traditional Remembrance Sunday Service we would like to that befits the importance of the occasion. However, we feel that ensuring there is an opportunity for an Act of Remembrance in Pelton Parish is extremely important to us all and how that is carried out will be different but no less important for us all this year.

After reviewing the government guidelines that were agreed on 4^th November 2020 we are pleased to inform you we are able to carry out a covid-adapted Remembrance Sunday Service on Sunday 8^th November 2020.  Our Service will commence at 3.30pm at the War Memorial, Holy Trinity Church, Pelton. The Service will be led by Reverend John Lintern and Cllr Miriam Lonsdale-Cope will be carrying out a reading on behalf of the Parish Council. There  will be wreath laying carried out on behalf of the Parish Council by the Vice Chair – Cllr Mick Simpson; Durham County Council by County Councillor Danny Wood (who is also in attendance as Chair of the Parish Council) and the ex-Service Personnel of Pelton Parish by Mr John Byrne. We would like to virtually invite you to the Service which we are aiming to live stream through the Facebook page of Cllr Danny Wood which will be ready for you to view at approximately 3.25pm in readiness for the 3.30pm start time.

We will ensure the government guidelines are followed for social distancing of attendees and details are collated for track and trace purposes. As I am sure you are aware, the current lockdown guidance details have specific rules for individuals to meet outdoors https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#where-and-when-you-can-meet-in-larger-groups

Please contact the Parish Clerk on 0191 3701969 or clerk@peltonparishcouncil.gov.uk if you would like to discuss the government guidance regarding our Remembrance Sunday Service. UPDATED ON 10.11.2020– If you would like to view the Service it can be viewed on the facebook page of Cllr Danny Wood https://www.facebook.com/danny4pelton/videos/441892996799306/

In the meantime the Royal British Legion  have some thoughtful suggestions on how to continue with personal Acts of Remembrance- https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance

Remembrance ideas for 2020

As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, it may be necessary for individuals and communities to consider new ways of performing Remembrance activities, whether at Remembrancetide or any other time of the year.

To give you a helping hand, we’ve put together a wide-range of suggested Covid safe activities that are inexpensive to create:

• Hold a small Remembrance service in your garden.
• Create a Remembrance space in your garden by planting plants that have a connection to Remembrance.
• Use Zoom, Facebook or another online meeting resource to host an online Remembrance service or activity.
• Set up a community Remembrance forum to discuss different residents’ Remembrance stories.
• Create an online exhibition of Remembrance related photos from local residents that schools or others could use to discuss local Remembrance activities.
• Do an online interview with a local veteran or someone currently serving to discuss what service and sacrifice means to them. You could send people the link and create an online audience.
• Open an online book of Remembrance that family, friends and others can sign as a mark of Remembrance.
• Write letters of Remembrance to veterans or serving personnel.
• Use our Remembrance education activitiesto help children learn about Remembrance.
• Create your own Remembrance art piece using our teaching resources– children and families could be asked to display something in their window like the rainbows for the NHS.