By INÊS LOPES
AROUND 200 people wore their poppies with pride as they gathered outside St. Luke’s Church, Palhagueira, in Gorjões near Santa Bárbara de Nexe for the Remembrance Day service on Sunday to honour those who had given their lives in conflicts throughout the world.
This year’s Remembrance Sunday, organised by the St. Vincent’s Anglican Church and the Royal British Legion in the Algarve, was deemed particularly special as the service was attended by HM British Ambassador to Portugal, Alex Ellis.
Father Haynes Hubbard, the honorary chaplain for the Royal British Legion, said a prayer for the servicemen and women who died at war or continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror.
 This year’s Remembrance Sunday service at St. Luke’s church was attended by the British Ambassador to Portugal |
 |
“We commit ourselves to work in penitence and faith for reconciliation between the nations, that all people may, together, live in freedom, justice and peace,” he prayed.
The Act of Remembrance took place next to the cross, where a bugler sounded the Last Post and the two-minute silence was kept.
The British Ambassador then laid a poppy wreath on behalf of the British community and wreaths were also laid by Harry Headley-Warner and Rosemary Jackson on behalf of the Royal British Legion Algarve Branch.
 Ambassador Alex Ellis laying a poppy wreath |
|
Poppy Appeal
Meanwhile, around 200 people also attended the Remembrance Day service held at Nossa Senhora da Luz church in Praia da Luz. Resident contributor, Margaret Brown attended the service.
“Father John Wilson gave a very good sermon and everyone sang their hearts out,” she said.
“The choir, led by John Dixon, was very full and sang beautifully. There were also two first class bugle players, Ray Charfley and Ruff Ireland, from the Easy Street Jazz Band, who came especially for the service.”
Remembrance Sunday is the Sunday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the end of the hostilities of the First World War at 11am in 1918.
It is also the final day of the two week period of fundraising by the Royal British Legion through the Poppy Appeal.
Last year’s Poppy Appeal in Portugal raised a total of 31,000 euros which was sent to the UK for distribution to the welfare of ex-British military personnel and their families.
 Father Haynes Hubbard saying a prayer |
|
This year’s figures have not yet been released. Sandra Wilkinson, the Royal British Legion’s Eastern Algarve Poppy coordinator, told The Resident: “The Poppy Appeal is still ongoing, but we hope to reveal the total amount raised within a few weeks.”
The Portugal branch of the Royal British Legion was founded more than 50 years ago in July 1956 by a group of Legion Members to safeguard the welfare, interests and memory of those who are serving or have served in the British Armed Forces.
For more information about the Royal British Legion in Portugal, please visit http://portugal.legionbranches.net.
