Ipswich’s mayor has urged people to mark Armed Forces Week privately this year, as there is no traditional parade taking place in the county because of coronavirus.

East Anglian Daily Times: Despite the Cornhill parade being cancelled, Ipswich mayor Jan Parry has urged people to still remember those serving as part of Armed Forces Week 2020. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHYDespite the Cornhill parade being cancelled, Ipswich mayor Jan Parry has urged people to still remember those serving as part of Armed Forces Week 2020. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY (Image: Lucy Taylor Photography)

Armed Forces Week, which begins on Monday, June 22, aims to recognise the work of women and men who serve in the forces, and usually features a parade in one of the county’s districts to mark the occasion.

However, social distancing measures enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic means that event cannot take place this year, meant to take place in Babergh.

Instead people in Ipswich are being urged to remember the efforts of armed forces personnel in their own way.

Ipswich mayor Jan Parry said: “We will be raising and flying our commemorative Armed Forces Day flags outside Ipswich Town Hall and Ipswich Borough Council’s headquarters at Grafton House, but I am all too aware that we will be doing things very differently this year as we will not be gathering on the Cornhill on Armed Forces Day, Saturday June 27.

“We can, however, take time during Armed Forces Week, which begins on Monday, June 22, to think of our armed services community in Ipswich, many of whom I have had the honour to meet during my first year as mayor, those currently serving as active military personnel, those in our reservists, our cadets units and of course all of our local veterans.

“We think of and thank them all for their hard work, dedication and contributions in the military community today.

“Our armed services work around the world in a wide range of roles - defending the UK, delivering aid, tackling drug smugglers and combating terrorism, sometimes risking and indeed sometime sacrificing their lives, and they are currently helping in the coronavirus pandemic. We pay tribute to them and thank all of them and their families.”

Armed forces in Suffolk have been deployed in some areas of the county to help with the Covid-19 response alongside their regular duties, including supporting distribution of personal protective equipment, and helping logistics in testing centres.

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