Brixton’s Windrush Square hosts Remembrance Sunday event

Brixton’s Windrush Square on Sunday (12 November) will once again see a wide-ranging event marking Remembrance Sunday, including senior representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and other faiths as well as two Commonwealth high commissioners and Second World War RAF veteran Neil Flanigan MBE.

Commencing at the African and Caribbean War Memorial at 1.30pm, the ceremony will take place in the afternoon as is traditional since the memorial was installed on Windrush Square in 2017.

Local MPs, the Mayor of Lambeth, the Rastafari Defence Unit (a UK ministry of defence unit), a tri-military service march-by for peace, and a public wreath-lying ceremony will be among other contributions 

The organisers, the Nubian Jak Community Trust, said a Palestinian group had respectfully requested to lay a wreath in remembrance of those who lost their lives during the Second World War.

After African drumming, the event is due to begin at 1.30pm with a traditional African libation ceremony conducted by Professor Gus John.

Major Kidane Cousland MBE, founder of the Defence Rastafari Network, will give the keynote address.

An earlier event, organised by the Clapham-based West Indian Association of Service Personnel, will run from 10.30am to 12.30pm and will start with a procession of witness from Brixton Library to Lambeth town hall via the African and Caribbean War Memorial. There will then be a ceremony and a minute’s silence at the town hall.

There will also be a remembrance service and wreath laying ceremony at Stockwell War Memorial at 11am.

Events will be attended by the Mayor of Lambeth, Sarbaz Barznji, armed service representatives, community representatives and Lambeth’s Deputy Lieutenant, Christopher Wellbelove.

Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth council cabinet member for stronger communities, leisure and sports, said: “Remembrance Sunday has always been a hugely important event in Lambeth, as it gives us the opportunity to pay our respects to the men and women from all backgrounds and all parts of the world who gave their lives so we could be free.

“I will be joining Lambeth residents to pay our respects to the nation’s war dead on Remembrance Sunday to honour the men and women from all backgrounds and all parts of the world who gave their lives so we could be free. Our veterans, service personnel and their families deserve our thanks and our support.”

Other services and ceremonies in Lambeth on 12 November include:

• Albert Carr Gardens war memorial, on the corner of the High Road and Streatham Common Northside from 10.30am
• Kennington Park war memorial, with the gate to the memorial open for those wishing to lay a wreath from 11am
• The SOE agents monument, Lambeth Palace Road at the grassed area between Lambeth Palace and the River Thames from 10.30am
• Vincennes Resistance Memorial, Vincennes Estate, Hamilton Road, West Norwood, SE27 9SB, from 3pm.