People and businesses are being invited to ‘Fly The Flag’ to celebrate the royal visit to Southport this week!
Dune Radio and Stand Up For Southport are launching a campaign calling on our town to come alive with flags, bunting, and anything else to celebrate this historic occasion.
Princess Anne will visit Southport this Friday (29th September 2023) to mark the re-dedication of Southport War Memorial, to honour its 100th anniversary.
And we’d love to see your photos of business windows being decorated, bunting being put up, and celebrations being held.
Images will be posted through the Dune Radio and Stand Up For Southport social media sites.
Southport will be full of thousands of veterans, school children and members of the public either taking part in or watching the royal visit.
A number of local businesses already have their bunting out, with some offering discounts on the day to veterans taking part in the event.
Dune Radio Content Director Andrew Hilbert said:
“Excitement is building about the visit by Princess Anne to rededicate the Southport War Memorial this Friday.
“We’d love to see everyone in Southport really get behind this historic event!
“It would be fantastic to see Southport really come alive to mark this occasion and we’d love to see your pictures and hear your stories about what you are doing.
“We’d love to welcome people on air on Dune Radio to talk about what you are doing ahead of the royal visit, please get in touch.”
Stand Up For Southport owner Andrew Brown said:
“There is no better sight than when the whole community in Southport comes together to make something special happen.
“This is the first time in many years that we have celebrated a royal visit in Southport, and we are really looking forward to it.
“This Friday, Southport will be full of thousands of veterans, children from local schools, local residents, visitors and others. .
“Please Fly The Flag and help to put Southport on the map! Would love to see you send or post your pictures to us and tell us your stories about what you are doing to celebrate the redeciation of our Southport War Memorial.”
Trish Zaniara and Layne Dickinson lead the Fly The Flag campaign for Silcopck Leisure Group in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up for Southportlegion
Event organiser, Major Nick McEntee TD VR REME and Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Southport, said:
“I am enjoying seeing the excitement continue to build in Southport the closer we get to the rededication of our Southport War Memorial.
“While we are organising this event to celebrate the centenary of Southport War Memorial and raise awareness of the Southport Royal British Legion Hub, we are also doing this for our town as a whole to raise Southport’s profile.
“There is no other town like Southport in the country.
“This is a one-in-a-lifetime experience and we hope everyone in our town gets behind it and enjoys it.”
One local business backing the campaign is Silcock Leisure Group.
Large Union Jack flags are a permanent fixture above Silcock’s Funland on the Promenade, and additional bunting has been installed at Funland and in the Silcock’s Pier Family Restaurant on the Promenade.
Silcock Leisure Group Operations Manager Serena Silcock-Prince said:
“We always have the flags flying above Funland!
“We are delighted to back the Fly The Flag campaign and are putting up more bunting to celebrate.
“I remember when Queen Elizabeth II visited Southport in the 1980s, and lots of people talk about that visit now.
“This is another historic royal visit that people who are there will talk about for years to come.
“On the day of the royal visit, Silcock’s Embassy Restaurant on Nevill Street and Silcock’s Pier Restaurant on the Promenade are giving 25% off to all servicemen and women, veterans and affiliates of the Armed Forces. We think it’s important to support people taking part.”
The parade on Friday, 29th September 2023 will form up at Victoria Park in Southport at 10.30am, departing at 11.15am.
The service at Southport War Memorial starts at 12pm, all welcome.
Her Royal Highness will be attending the event in her capacity as President of the Women’s Section of the Royal British Legion.
Located in London Square on Lord Street, the War Memorial was unveiled on 18th November 1923 by the Earl of Derby along with local children of the fallen from World War One.
The impressive structure comprises an obelisk flanked by two colonnades in the form of Greek temples. Outside the colonnades are public memorial gardens, each containing a Pool of Remembrance and fountains.
The event will consist of a parade marching from Victoria Park in Southport to the War Memorial where a Drumhead Service will be conducted to mark the re-dedication of the War Memorial.
The re-dedication will be directed by Colonel (Retd) Monsignor Stephen Alker MBE and attended by senior civil dignitaries and senior military figures.
The parade will be led by the Band of the Royal Air Force College and be made up of Armed Forces personnel and Veterans from all three services, as well as Combined Cadet Force cadets from Merchant Taylors School and contingents from all 28 schools in the Southport area.
For further information please contact southport.secretary@rbl.community
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