The season of Remembrance is already underway, and members of Ross-on-Wye & District Royal British Legion have started their lead up to the Remembrance Commemorations in November, with visits to local primary and junior schools.

On Monday, October 15th they opened with a visit to Walford School in the morning and Weston-under-Penyard School in the afternoon.

Further visits will take place to Lea, Gorsley Goffs and Ashfield Park this week – with more planned to Bridstow, Brampton Abbotts, Goodrich and St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School next week.

During each visit the students are given a short illustrated talk which includes who the Royal British Legion is and what they do, why the poppy is used as a symbol of Remembrance and the meanings of all the components that make up the Standard.

Members are accompanied during the visit by the Standard Bearer, who parades the Standard, as he or she would during the many Acts of Remembrance at this time.

Members of the RBL offer an explanation of the different components of the Act of Remembrance including the two-minute silence. The visit then ends with students and staff taking part in the Act.

During their visit to Walford on Monday members met with Archie from Year 5 who had taken part in the Red Petal Run, organised annually by the Cinderford Branch of the RBL.

This is a major event in their year and raises a great many funds for their Branch Poppy Appeal.

Archie showed members his medal for completing the 5k which he did despite the horrendous weather at the time.

The members of the RBL congratulated Archie and everyone else who took part in the run.

Those of you with eagle eyes will have noticed that the Standard being paraded at the school is not actually the one from Ross-on-Wye. During these visits the Training Standard is taken to the schools so students, if they wish, can have the chance to touch it and look at it closely without having to wear protective gloves.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.