Patriots on parade to honour Armed Forces
Servicemen and women past and present will join together for a day of events to mark Armed Forces Day in Oldbury this Saturday.
A parade followed by a salute and address will kick off the day with festivities then taking place in Oldbury Civic Square.
The parade will start at Low Town car park at 11.30am and go along Birmingham Street and Halesowen Street, finishing in Oldbury Civic Square.
A free fun day will then follow from from 1pm to 5pm including military displays, military vehicles and information stands.
Sandwell's Mayor Councillor Linda Horton said: "It is vital to reward and recognise what our Armed Forces do for us – both current servicemen and women as well as their families, veterans and the injured and bereaved.
"We welcome them to Sandwell and are proud to be marking Armed Forces Day, recognising and supporting what our Armed Forces do for us on a daily basis."
Visitors to the town are being warned that on Saturday a number of temporary road closures will be in place during the event.
Freeth Street will be closed from 9am until around 6pm. There will also be shorter road closures along the parade route from 11am. The parade will form on Low Town car park and go along Birmingham Street and Halesowen Street. Church Street will also be closed to make sure vehicles don't get trapped in the closed area. Vehicles can travel via Oldbury Ringway.
The roads along the parade route will reopen immediately afterwards, around 12noon.
Free parking will be available on a first come, first served basis at the council staff car park off Dudley Road. Town centre car parks will be open as normal, with usual charges applying.
Meanwhile, events will also be held in Birmingham's Victoria, Chamberlain and Centenary Squares from 11am to 5pm on Saturday.
There will be an afternoon of 1940s entertainment plus the traditional drum head service.
The day starts at 11am in Victoria Square where veterans' associations, such as the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and the War Widows Association will have stalls with displays and information about their organisations. There will also be a 60ft climbing wall, an RAF Typhoon simulator and a children's workshop area for youngsters to make planes, boats and tanks.
An afternoon of 1940s entertainment starts at noon in Chamberlain Square with songs from Maggie O'Hara, a George Formby routine from Paul Kaspa and 1940s swing from Mood Indigo.
