After having to live stream the Remembrance Service last year, it returns to the steps of Henley Town Hall and Henley Market Place and all are invited to gather to remember.

This Sunday, 14th November, weather permitting at 10:46 there will be a fly-past, courtesy of RAF Benson and The Mayor, Councillors and Town Clerk will gather on the Town Hall steps, led out by the Town Sergeant James Churchill Coleman shortly before 11am.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, Father Jeremy Tayler, Rector of St Mary’s, will start the service shortly afterwards. There be will a reading from Mrs Anne Evans, Chairman of the Royal British Legion before the last post is sounded at 11am.

A Reveille will mark the end of the two minutes’ silence and Mrs Anne Evans will then read the Kohima Epitaph by John Maxwell Edmonds.

Prayers will be led by Fr. Jeremy and the hymn Jerusalem will be sung. In addition to the Mayor’s Address, there will be readings from The Town Clerk, Sheridan Jacklin-Edward and the Mayor’s Cadet, Corporal Grace Iveson, before the Laying on of Wreaths.

Wreaths will be laid on the Town Hall Steps by Lady Cynthia Hall, Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Councillor Sarah Miller, Mayor of Henley on Thames, Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council, a representative from South Oxfordshire District Council, and a representative from the Royal British Legion

This will then be followed by wreaths being laid by local organisations and members of the public.

After the service ends, there will be a parade around the Town Hall and Market Place. The Mayor will then welcome all attendees to a reception in the Mayor’s Parlour.

Mayor of Henley, Councillor Sarah Miller said, “On behalf of the people of Henley, I am proud to commemorate the brave men and women who fought and died for our freedom. It is very important to me that we can all gather in person to honour their memory this year. I would encourage everyone to come back to the Town Hall to join us all for refreshments. Remembrance is a special time for the town, to commemorate those we lost, and to meet old friends, this year is particularly meaningful as COVID restrictions meant that we were not able to gather in the Mayor’s Parlour in 2020. I’m so glad we can do so now and I look forward to seeing you there.