This year, people in Bicester will gather in-person on Remembrance Sunday to honour its fallen – but some restrictions will remain in place.

Last year’s Remembrance Day was forced to be held online after a big rise in the number of coronavirus cases led to the Government enforcing a second national lockdown.

Civic and military dignitaries took part in the service via Zoom with readings by the Mayor’s Cadet Joe Ottaway, Lt Col Alex Atherton, the Commanding Officer of Bicester Garrison, and Miranda Markham the Oxfordshire Deputy Lieutenant. No one was in attendance.

This year, Bicester Town Council is planning an in-person service and traditional parade on Sunday, November 14.

The service will take place at St Edburg’s Church in two stages; an outdoor service from 10.45am with two minutes’ silence at 11am, followed by wreath laying by local groups, organisations and individuals.

Afterwards, people will move inside the church for the indoor service, but due to capacity restrictions in place, only two representatives from each organisation will be able to attend this part of the day.

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The service will also be broadcast via zoom.

Local groups and organisations including the Royal British Legion and local military and uniformed groups will join the parade which will leave St Edburg's Church at about 12 noon.

They will march to the Market Square where the Deputy Lieutenant Miranda Markham, Bicester’s Mayor Councillor Nicholas Mawer, and Lt Col Helen F Cook, the Commanding Officer of 1 Regiment RLC, will take the salute.

Mr Mawer said: “Remembrance Day is such an important day in our annual calendar and we were devastated that the town’s service was curtailed last year.

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“Although we cannot have the large numbers inside the church that we usually do, we do hope people will join the outdoor part of the service and line the Causeway and Market Square to support those taking part in the parade.

“Bicester has strong military links and the Remembrance Day event is the town’s chance to honour both serving servicemen and women as well as those who lost their lives in conflicts around the world to ensure our freedoms today.”

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