With the ongoing Pandemic and the government regulations restricting the numbers of people that can meet together, changes have been made to Remembrance Sunday for 2020.

The annual Brentwood Remembrance Parade will not take place in its normal format and there will be no public parade or service at the War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday. In place of this there will be a small service at St Thomas’ Church which will be broadcast live for residents to take part virtually. Following governance guidance, no hymns will be sung but the church choir will present and readings will be given as part of the Remembrance Day Order of Service.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Olivia Sanders said; “Brentwood has a strong historic connection with our armed forces and Royal British Legion and marks Remembrance Sunday each year in a manner that befits the sacrifice so many made. This year will be no different in sentiment it will just be conducted in a manner that best accommodates the times we face now. Amendments have had to be made to protect the community in the wake of Covid-19 but I know, even if we cannot all be together, we will come together virtually to recognise the significance of the day.”

Wreaths will be laid at the St Thomas’ Church War Memorial after the service and these will be taken to the War Memorial by the Royal British Legion and placed at the official War Memorial (Middleton Hall Lane).

The Royal British Legion will conduct their usual service on Wed 11th November 2020 (Armistice Day) with residents asked not to attend but to watch through the streamed video that St Thomas’s Church will provide.

Cllr Sanders added: “It has been suggested that people may like to mark the two minute silence on the doorstep of their homes and I think this is a lovely idea. Combining the opportunity to watch the events through social media and then take part in person as a family to show respect by our own front doors provides everyone with the chance to be there albeit in a different way to normal.”