Pupils in Class 1 at St Joseph’s RC Primary School joined the Mayor of Ross-on-Wye, other local dignitaries and members of the public for the Commonwealth Day celebration on Monday, March 13th.

Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty the Queen was represented at the event by her Deputy Lieutenants, Paul Deneen OBE JP DL and Joyce Thomas MBE DL. Members of Ross Town Council, the Royal British Legion, the police, and the Sea Cadets were also present, as were the two deputy head boys at John Kyrle High School, George Green and Freddie Hemmingway.

The Mayor, Councillor David Ravenscroft, greeted all who attended, and said that Commonwealth Day provides a splendid opportunity for people from all walks of life to join others in the local community to celebrate the mutual support from the 52 countries, which share goals of democracy, development and diversity.

He added that the Commonwealth countries are united by their values for tolerance, freedom of expression, human rights, access to health and education, and gender equality.

Cllr Ravenscroft said that this year’s theme was ‘a peace-building Commonwealth’, and he said that the Commonwealth countries are an ever more needed source of strength.

The Deputy head boys from JKHS then read the affirmation, and at 10am, Ross RBL members, Graham Aplin and Ian Hedges raised the flag outside the Market House.

Please see this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette for the full report and more photographs.