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Monday, June 30, 2008, 07:00
Charles Crichton, the project manager for this weekend's grand celebrations and commemorations in the city, said the events for armed forces veterans were fantastic.
A range of activities were held in the city – principally in the city centre, the Guildhall and on the Hoe – to mark the weekend and Mr Crichton said the support had been superb.
He said: “To have a whole weekend of celebrations and commemorations was a new concept designed to bring awareness of the veterans.
“There was an information fair in the Guildhall, events on the Hoe, services at St Andrew's Church. So many people – veterans and members of the public – supported it.
“Plymouth is a city with a proud military background for hundreds of years, so it was important that the weekend brought about respect for our veterans. It was a great success.”
National Veterans Day was launched in 2006 – to be held annually on June 27 – but it has grown so quickly in Plymouth it became a weekend full of events this year.
It began on Friday with a service at St Andrew's Church and the opening of the Veterans Centre in Plymouth's Guildhall, which was also open to the public on Saturday.
There was a Veterans Day concert – featuring the band of the Royal Air Force Association – at St Andrew's Church on Saturday.
A whole day of activities took place on Plymouth's Hoe throughout yesterday, including a series of displays and exhibitions with the backdrop of warships in the Sound and aircraft in the sky.
Historic military vehicles, helicopters and parachute displays were on the menu, as was pipe band music.
An RAF and Allied Air Forces Monument service took place yesterday morning and an hour-long Veterans Day Tattoo finished off the weekend on the Hoe, along with a parade of military standards.
Mr Crichton said: “It went very smoothly. People loved the events on the Hoe and it left me exhausted but contented.
“It will be an annual event in Plymouth. It is great for the city – the veteran's capital of the South West.”
David Chatwin, 63, from Plympton, a fundraiser for the Army Benevolent Fund, was at the Guildhall on Saturday.
He said: “Veterans in this country need more support – like free higher education and better hospital care – so a weekend like that is a great step in the right direction to raising the importance of our veterans.”
Jack Evans, 78, from Plymstock, is a founder member of the Plymouth and South West Merchant Seafarers' Association. He said: “The weekend was advertised well and supported well. It was for the public as well as the veterans.”
Colin Ewings, 52, from Tavistock visited the events. He said: “I am not in the military. I just felt so humble to see all those people who have put their lives on the line.
“It was a great way to praise those people who have given so much for us.”
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