Ringwood Town Mayor Councillor Barbara Woodifield and The Reverend Terry Roberts, with the Lantern of Remembrance behind.
A service was held in Ringwood Gateway Square yesterday (Wednesday) to dedicate a Lantern of Remembrance in recognition of the sacrifice of Ringwood people who fell during the First and Second World Wars.
The Lantern was lit during the service, which was led by The Reverend Terry Roberts, Chaplain for the Ringwood Branch of the Royal British Legion, and accompanied by Ringwood and Burley Band. The Lantern will be lit on the anniversary of the death of every Ringwood service man and woman for the rest of the year, and their names and brief service history will be displayed in the Ringwood Gateway notice board.
The idea for the Lantern came from Councillor Michael Thierry, and it will be a daily reminder to people who pass the Gateway building, whether lit or unlit, of the sacrifice of Ringwood’s fallen.
The Mayor of Ringwood Councillor Barbara Woodifield said: “I am very proud of our wonderful town of Ringwood and I am very proud of those people who gave their lives for our freedoms and the freedoms of others, so it is right and fitting that the town should pay particular tribute to its own fallen heroes and heroines. I hope that, as the months go by, the significance of the Lantern will be embraced by Ringwood people and that such losses will never be needed again by this town or any other.”
A collection taken at the end of the service raised £153.44, which will be used to support the work of The Royal British Legion.
