Remembrance 2025: Lest we forget

Services and parades will be held across Cumbria to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.

And Westmorland & Furness Council said it was displaying poppies to mark the event on many council buildings, libraries, care homes and vehicles.

The poppy serves as a symbol of both remembrance and support for the armed forces community.

As part of the council’s tribute, the Union flag will be flown at full mast from the town hall buildings in Barrow, Kendal and Penrith on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day on November 11.

Kendal Town Hall’s clock tower will be lit red, and in partnership with Kendal Town Council, the building will also be illuminated with poppies.

Barrow Town Hall will shine in the colours of the Union flag in tribute to those who have lost their lives in times of conflict.

Several commemorative events and services will take place across Westmorland and Furness, allowing residents to pay their respects.

Thousands of handmade poppies will adorn Ulverston’s Coronation Hall to mark this year’s Remembrance.

The red and black yarn flower display will be installed this week after being created by dozens of knitting and crochet enthusiasts at home and during workshops at The Coro, which is owned and run by Westmorland and Furness Council.

Originally the crafters had hoped to create a waterfall of 10,000 poppies stitched onto a giant net to cascade down the town’s hilltop landmark, the Sir John Barrow Monument.

Their plans changed after Ulverston town councillor Graham Scrogham calculated that a tonne weight of wet wool could be whipped about in bad weather, plus five tonnes of wind load – force exerted by the wind – causing potential damage to the historic monument and injury to people.

Cllr Scrogham said: “The top of Hoad Hill is a windy place, even on the calmest day. It was felt that using the outside of the Coronation Hall as a place to display the poppies and also the war memorial – to put a very respectful display in that area – was more achievable.”

Rather than one large, heavy cascade, the front of the building will be decorated with individual wreaths of knitted and crocheted flowers, and the balcony will be covered in thousands of poppies.

It is estimated up to 16,000 poppies will feature in the display.

The Monument on Hoad Hill will still be part of the town’s Remembrance will be lit up with red patterns.

Cumberland Council said some of its vehicles are displaying printed poppies and a Lest We Forget message.

Window stickers are also displaying the message at key buildings within the area, including libraries.

Other activities include:

Some council buildings are lit red at night-time on the week leading up to Armistice Day.
The Union flag to be flown from outside Cumbria House, the Civic Centre and the Old Town Hall in Carlisle, the Copeland Centre in Whitehaven and Allerdale House in Workington on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day (Sunday 9 and Tuesday 11 November).
Any council owned buildings open to the public on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day will commemorate the national two-minute silence at 11am.

Kendal Town Hall. Picture: Westmorland & Furness Council

On Sunday, Carlisle MP Julie Minns will lay a wreath on behalf of all Cumbria’s MPs at the county memorial in the city’s Rickerby Park, Carlisle.

Sir Robert Lorimer’s 12m granite cenotaph in Rickerby Park commemorates the fallen of those former counties.

The joint wreath follows a proposal from Ms Minns to the other MPs following last year’s ceremony at the Cenotaph where she became aware that it had been some years since an MP had laid a wreath at the County Memorial, with each of the principal towns and the city of Carlisle now holding their own Remembrance services.

Julie Minns MP said: “Last year, when I laid a wreath at the county memorial, someone mentioned it had been quite some time since an MP had done so. I therefore approached my fellow MPs whose constituencies include parts of the former counties that this year to propose we lay a joint wreath at the County Cenotaph in remembrance of those who served.”

Remembrance events and services

Festival of Remembrance, organised by Royal British Legion, St Cuthbert’s Church, Carlisle, Friday November 7. Tickets are free and available from Carlisle Tourist Information Centre. Doors open 6.30pm, starts at 7pm.

Remembrance Sunday

Here’s a selection of the services in Cumbria on Sunday. It is by no means exhaustive – if you’d like to be featured, please email us on [email protected]

Please check your local town or parish council social media pages for details of services and parades near you.

Aspatria

Parade to leave Brandraw car park, 2.30pm. Heads to the main gates of St Mungo’s memorial park where wreaths will be laid. The parade then continues to St Kentigern’s Church for a service at 3pm.

Appleby

Parade from Royal British Legion at 10.50am
Service in St Lawrence’s Church
Wreath laying at war memorial in Appleby cemetery

Barrow

10.20am – Organisations taking part in the procession to assemble outside Barrow Town Hall.
10.50am – Parade arrives at the war memorial in Barrow Park
11am – Service, two minutes’ silence, and laying of wreaths.
Following the service, the parade will leave Barrow Park and fall out at the Royal British Legion, Holker Street, which will be open for all those wishing to attend.

Carlisle

Remembrance parade from Carlisle Castle to Carlisle Cathedral, starting at 10am.
The County Remembrance Parade and Service will be held at the County Memorial in Rickerby Park Carlisle, assembling at 2pm to parade into the park for the start of the service at 2.30pm.
Service at Carlisle Cathedral until 11.45am

Cockermouth

Service at All Saints Church 12.45pm
Wreath laying at war memorial 2pm

Egremont

Parade on Main Street to war memorial. Road will be closed from 10am to 12.15pm.
Remembrance service 11am.

Harrington

Parade leaves Royal British Legion at 9.40am, arrives St Mary’s Church, 9.50am. Service 10am to 10.40pm. Short service at war memorial before parade back to Royal British Legion.

Haverigg

Remembrance service St Luke’s Church, 2.30pm.

Kendal

8am Wreath laying at Romney Gardens
8.15am Wreath laying at K Village
8.45am Wreath laying at Gilkes
9am Wreath laying at the Abbott Hall Peace Garden
9.30am Service of Remembrance in the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity Kendal
10.30am Parade from the Parish Church to the war memorial
11am two minutes’ Silence at the war memorial
11.05am Wreath laying at the war memorial

Keswick

Service at St John’s Church, 10am.
Parade to war memorial for wreath laying, Penrith Road, 11am

Millom

9.30am Parade begins at Mainsgate Road
9.50am Parade arrives at St George’s Church
10am Remembrance service
10.35am parade reforms
11am Two-minute silence at Millom memorial
11.02am Wreath laying

Penrith

A civic parade for invited dignitaries and organisations will form up at 1.50pm in Portland Place to set off at 2pm for the parade to St Andrew’s Church for Penrith Town’s Service of Remembrance at 2.30pm.

Whitehaven

Parade leaves The Copeland Centre, Catherine Street, Whitehaven at 10.40am and heads towards Castle Park for a service by the war memorial. The parade will then leave the park via Lowther Street and continue to James Street via Lower King Street and Market Place finishing at The United Reform Church where a church service will be held.

A rolling road closure will be in place from 10.15am.