This year Cleethorpes was chosen to host the Armed Forces National Event and the three day celebration was a huge success, with over 200,000 people visiting the Cleethorpes resort over the weekend between Friday 24th June to Sunday 26th June.
Local employer Young’s Seafood Limited supported the national event, providing help centres and sponsoring the Armed Forces Day volunteers to ensure all visitors were able to enjoy a great weekend.
Armed Forces Day takes place every year with events held across the country and one area chosen to host a national event. The celebrations are a chance for communities to show their support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets. The Cleethorpes national event welcomed esteemed guests to the celebration, including Prime Minister David Cameron and his Royal Highness Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.
Over the weekend a parade travelled through Cleethorpes, heralded by gunfire and attracting thousands to the streets to watch the spectacle. Visitors were treated to incredible displays with aerial shows from the Red Arrows, a Battle of Britain memorial flight and a parachute display team. Cleethorpes also hosted an array of military vehicles for visitors to explore including the Sandown class Mine Countermeasures Vessel HMS Blyth and the AS90 artillery tank, and Warrior and Terrier armoured vehicles.
Pete Ward, Chief Executive of Young’s Seafood Limited commented, “I’m delighted with the overwhelming success of this year’s Armed Forces National Event, it has been an absolute triumph.
“Over the past few months Young’s Seafood Limited have been working with North East Lincolnshire Council to help with the organisation of the event and I am so proud to have seen our wonderful local community come together to support our Armed Forces over such a fantastic weekend of activity.”
Councillor Ray Oxby, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said, “I’d like to thank everyone who came to Cleethorpes on Saturday – not just those that attended to show their support for our Armed Forces, but especially to those that spent the weekend working to ensure the event was a huge success.
“I’d also like to thank Young’s Seafood Limited for their generous sponsorship of the event. We have been overwhelmed by the support offered by many local and national businesses in the run up to the weekend’s events. They all contributed to making it a spectacular weekend for our area.”
