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The Royal British Legion's Great Pilgrimage 90

MEMBERS of the Formby branch of The Royal British Legion are to join thousands on a pilgrimage of Remembrance to World War 1 battlefield that culminates in a parade and ceremony in Ypres as part of the end of the First World War centenary commemorations this August 2018. The Royal British Legion event, known as:- 'The Great Pilgrimage 90 (GP90),' takes place between the 5 August to 9 August 2018, and it will be 1 of the largest in the charity's history.

GP90 will mark 90 years since the original Royal British Legion Pilgrimage in 1928, which saw 11,000 World War 1 veterans and war widows visit the battlefields of the Somme in France and Ypres in Belgium, a decade after the conflict ended. That Pilgrimage culminated in a march through Ypres to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission's Menin Gate Memorial for a ceremony to commemorate the launch of The Hundred Days Offensive and in remembrance of those who never returned.

Local Legion Chairman Ken Ward and Formby Parish Councillor Bernie Prescott will represent the Formby Branch and the local community at the event, as Standard Bearer and wreath layer respectively. The Wreath will contain a poem entitled:- "We Remember" written by Josie Dodd of Formby High School. Josie`s poem was chosen as the best from Formby and she was given a certificate to that effect.

Ken and Bernie will tour some of the same battlefields and cemeteries visited by those on the 1928 Pilgrimage, before marching along the original route through Ypres, to the Menin Gate, on 8 August 2018, bearing their branch standard and a wreath. They will join more than 2,200 other Legion representatives and dignitaries, including Civic and military guests from the UK, Commonwealth and Northern Europe who are taking part. Once at the Menin Gate, Bernie will lay a wreath on behalf of the Formby Area community.

Ken, Chairman of the Formby Branch of The Royal British Legion, comments:- "Great Pilgrimage 90 is a unique opportunity for the Legion community to come together and bear our Standards along the same route in Ypres taken 90 years earlier by the veterans and widows of the First World War. The Formby Branch looks forward to proudly representing Formby and District at the event."

As local champions of Remembrance, the Formby Branch of The Royal British Legion is looking to work in partnership with their community to bring their unique Remembrance message to the Menin Gate, on their wreath, where it will be displayed in a wreath installation for viewing by the general public until the end of August 2018. The parade will start at midday and we encourage the public to make the trip across to Ypres for the 8 August 2018 and fill the Market Square to watch the parade, 100 Days ceremony and then enjoy an afternoon of musical entertainment including:- The Central Band of the Royal British Legion.

If you want to find out more about GP90 or your local Royal British Legion branch, then please visit:- BritishLegion.Org/Branches/Formby or contact Michelle Miller via  email.