Heroes set to be honoured with Armed Forces Day events on Teesside

Parades, drills and entertainment all feature in a week-long line-up of events

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Picture by Peter Reimann

Teesside Armed Forces Day celebrations in 2013

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People can pay tribute nation’s military heroes at a series of events across Teesside to mark Armed Forces Day.

The week kicks off today when Middlesbrough’s Centre Square hosts a parade, musical performances and a variety of demonstrations, activities and entertainment.

Middlesbrough’s Armed Forces Day - supported by The Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces Forum, Middlesbrough College, Teesside University and Middlesbrough Council - runs from 10am to 4pm and is open to all.

In Stockton the borough mayor, Councillor Barbara Inman, will open the celebrations on Monday with a short flag raising ceremony outside Stockton Town Hall at 10.15am which will include members of the Armed Forces, the British Legion and both serving and retired servicemen and women.

Veterans will parade their regimental standards and Retired Lieutenant Colonel Graham Mitchell will make a speech.

On Thursday, June 26, from 9.30am-3pm, Stockton high street will host displays and information stands offering people the opportunity to find out about the past, present and future of the Armed Forces. There will also be an exhibition in the Rediscover Stockton Shop called Remembering Our War.

At 11.45 am to 12.15pm there will be an open-air service of thanksgiving for the Armed Forces in the area to the south of the town hall.

From 2pm to 4pm Stockton’s Tabernacle will host a tea dance.

As part of the celebrations the Mayor of Stockton will be holding a duck race on Stockton’s Riverside to raise money for three armed forces charities - Rifles, The Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Fund and 1 Close Support Battalion REME. She will launch the ducks into the River Tees from Infinity Marine Café on Saturday 28 June at 1.45pm.

For more information about Armed Forces Day visit http://ift.tt/1qzMAth.

And in Redcar organisers hope their day will be their best ever.

The Redcar Branch of the Royal British Legion in conjunction with Redcar and Cleveland Council and Redcar Rotary have a range of military, charities, music and performances all lined up for Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 28.

The day starts with a parade which forms up at the Blue Clock at 10.20am ready to start at 10.30am.

At 11am, Whale Hill Children’s Choir will perform a selection of wartime songs in “One Voice”.

Middlesbrough Jazz and Blues Band play at 11.30am and standard bearers will perform a drill display at 12.15pm.

In the afternoon there is a fly past – Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at 12.40pm, drill competition between sea, army and air cadets at 1pm, Middlesbrough Jazz and Blues Band play at 2pm and there will be an air display by Tiger Moth bi-plane at 2.30pm.

The event closes at 3.30 with Evening Colours including a fall of poppy petals.