Members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force raise flags in support of Armed Forces Day. at the Houses of Parliament.
Members of the Armed Forces raised the Armed Forces Day flag at Parliament today to celebrate the start of Armed Forces Week.
The Speaker of the House of Commons invited Armed Forces personnel and senior military officers to attend the ceremony in the presence of The Speaker and other Members of Parliament.
The Union Flag, the Armed Forces Day flag, the tri-service flag and the flag of the House of Commons were raised by Lance Corporal Gino Richards, Corporal Diane Smith, Leading Hand Loren Jackson and Lance Corporal Ben Clark.
Music was provided at the ceremony by The Band of The Scots Guards, British Army, and the Voice of Armed Forces Children Choir.
The ceremony included remarks by The Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, and Rev. Canon Tricia Hillas, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons and Canon of Westminster.
The ceremony ended with the National Anthem. Image: Crown Copyright 2022 Sgt Jimmy Wise RAF,
Flag raising ceremonies across the country have officially marked the start of week-long events for Armed Forces Week.
From Grantham to Glasgow, across all four corners of the UK, flag raising ceremonies are a traditional and symbolic event held to demonstrate public support for all that the Armed Forces have done and continue to do.
Armed Forces Week will celebrate all areas of the Armed Forces community and the areas that they provide support to, including defence operations, equipment, and sporting events.
In London, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, kicked off events and held a flag raising ceremony praising service personnel for epitomising the sense of family and community wherever they are deployed.
Held in New Palace Yard, the event was attended by the 1st Battalion, The Rifles and The Band of The Scots Guards who provided music for the arrival of the Speaker’s Procession. The Voices of Armed Forces Children’s Choir, children of serving and veteran personnel, also provided songs for the ceremony and service children read their own poems on what the Armed Forces mean to them.
Attending a flag raising ceremony in Winchester, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Leo Docherty MP said:
“Marking the start of this year’s events, flag raising ceremonies will be taking place across the UK as a mark of respect and admiration for everything our service personnel do.
“In this Armed Forces Week, I am delighted to have attended a signing of the Armed Forces Covenant where businesses and organisations continue to show their vital support to the Armed Forces community.”
Held in Winchester, the Minister also attended the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant, which sees the organisation join over 7,000 other employers and organisations who have made the landmark commitment to the Armed Forces and Veterans.
The Covenant is a formal agreement between the Government and organisations to ensure that no service personnel or veterans are disadvantaged due to having served in the Armed Forces.
Armed Forces Week is a chance for people to come together to thank our Armed Forces, who defend our way of life, protect British citizens around the world, and strengthen our relationships with our allies and partners.
Armed Forces Week will culminate in a national event, this year held in Scarborough, on the 25 June, whilst other events take place around the country.
Pathfinder International magazine is an official media partner for the National Armed Forces Day Main Event.
Read the Armed Forces Day Special Issue of Pathfinder here.
