Elm Park Remembrance: Veterans, schoolchildren and the Bishop of Barking take part in parade

Veterans, schoolchildren, members of the British Legion, councillors and the Bishop of Barking all took part in the Elm Park Remembrance parade.

More than £31,000 has been raised by the RBL for the Poppy Appeal so far, and it is hoping to beat the £35,000 raised last year.

High Street was packed with those who had come out to pay their respects on Sunday (November 11) as the parade went from the Royal British Legion in Maylands Avenue to St Nicholas Church.

A two minute silence was held at 11am outside of the RBL, before standards were carried by scouts, cubs, brownies, guides and schoolchildren from R J Mitchell Primary School.

The parade was headed by Rt Rev Peter Hill, Bishop of Barking with Rev Amanda and Father Tom Keighley,

The Haverettes Marching Band played music as part of the parade, and at the service in St Nicholas Church, children from Elm Park Primary sang John McCrae’s poem in Flanders Fields.

Some of them then read from their topic work where they imagined they were a soldier going off to war.

Tributes were also made by children from Benhurst Primary School who read out their own poems about Remembrance.

The parade then returned to the RBL for a fund raising afternoon, where there was a raffle, a game of play your cards right and donations made for song choices (including a dance off between members of the army and the fire brigade).

Around £2,000 was raised on the day and so far £31,300 has been raised for the Poppy Appeal.