Celebrations to mark Vets Week

An eight-day celebration to mark National Veterans Week will be staged at a popular Staffordshire attraction next week.

Staff at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas near Lichfield, are laying on a packed programme of events for visitors.

National Veterans Week is both a celebration of the contribution made by all those who have served in the Armed Forces and those in Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who have served in support of operations, and also a means of raising public awareness of the many issues relating to veterans.

The celebrations start tomorrow with a Proms in the Park concert for the troops at 7pm. Music will be provided by Company B, The Swingcats and the West Midlands Police Band.

On Sunday National Service Day will be celebrated with a service and reunion, including a parade of veterans and standards.

On Monday the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict will see a service of commemoration held in the arboretum's chapel at 10.30am, followed by a blessing of the newly-planted Falklands garden with Antelope azaleas.

An exhibition from the Imperial War Museum will also be officially opened by Graham Stow, the High Sheriff of Staffordshire.

Talks will be held on Tuesday including from Far East prisoner of war veteran Fred Seiker; Geoff Blore, the author of Dicky Blood's War and James Roffey from the Evacuees Association.

Veterans Awareness Day on Wednesday will see pupils from local schools learning how to march, salute and put the Union Flag up the flagpoles together with a vintage fashion show, armoury exhibition and veterans parade.

On Thursday the Northfield Caledonian Pipe Band will perform Beat The Retreat at 6.30pm. Other highlights of the week include an air display by the Naval Historic Flight on Monday, two Tornados on Wednesday and a Spitfire on Thursday. A full schools programme from Monday through to Friday will be staged, as well as a Civil Defence and Family Day on the Saturday.

Veterans from the Second World War, Korea, Suez, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, the Falklands and Iraq will also be visiting throughout the week.

For more details, and tickets for the concerts, call the arboretum on 01283 792333.

Lynne Barkas, spokeswoman for the Arboretum, said: "We have had a lot of interest and the place is a hive of activity at the moment with us getting everything ready.

"A stage has been created on site for some of the outdoor events set to take place. We are expecting a lot of people to take part and a lot of interest has been expressed."

She added the most interest had been expressed about the Wednesday which is Veterans Awareness Day.