Last Sunday I joined services in both Sevenoaks and Swanley to pay my respects to those who lost their lives fighting for our country.
Being asked to take part in the remembrance service each year is such a great honour; the service calls us to step back from our day-to-day lives and remember the tremendous sacrifice on which this country was built. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have laid down their lives to preserve this country’s freedoms and defend its values. The only reason we enjoy the lives we lead today is because of those brave men and women who were willing to put their lives on the line for all of us, and the generations yet to come.
As well as commemorating the sacrifices of those servicemen and women who have gone before, we must also appreciate the ongoing sacrifices paid by our Armed Forces and Veterans every single day. Whether that is from the impact of overseas service on their mental and physical health, or the months spent away from their families. I will always be thankful for that service and forever grateful that they are willing to come forward and serve our country despite the difficulty and potential risks.
In Sevenoaks and Swanley we have a proud history of support for the armed forces, and I would like to take this moment to thank all our servicemen and women, their families and the Royal British Legion volunteers who work tirelessly to support our veterans, run the Remembrance service and sell poppies locally. As well as to all of you who attended the many powerful events across our towns and villages last weekend and helped organised these important acts of remembrance.
Last week, I also planted a commemorate cross in the Garden of Remembrance in Westminster. Each MP was invited to do so on behalf of their constituency by the Speaker of the House of Commons. The garden was incredibly moving and allowed us all to give thanks for those who were lost in our communities.
Whatever may divide us, I am confident that we will always remain united by the unending debt we owe to those who lost their lives. We will remember them.
