Major Armed Forces Event To Return To Caerphilly

Residents and visitors will once again be able to show their support for the Armed Forces community next June, as it is announced that the prestigious South Wales Armed Forces Day event will be returning to Caerphilly for 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the success of this year’s event, which attracted more than 10,000 people, organisers and Caerphilly County Borough Council have agreed the popular event will return to Caerphilly town centre on Saturday 24th June next year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly town centre will once again play host to an impressive parade involving hundreds of service personnel, including representatives from the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, as well as cadets and veterans. This will be followed by a poignant Drum Head Service, which will provide an opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Visitors will then be invited to an afternoon of family fun on Owain Glyndwr Playing Fields on Crescent Road, where the area will be taken over by a vast range of military stalls and marquees, military charity stalls, demonstrations, an events area, food vendors, a licensed bar and much more. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Colonel Phil (Retd) Hubbard, OBE, DL, Chairman of the Armed Forces Day Committee said: “I am delighted to confirm that Armed Forces Day South Wales will return to Caerphilly in 2017. This year’s event exceeded our expectations in terms of attendance and support from Caerphilly County Borough Council and all those who took part. We are really pleased to be able to work in partnership again with Caerphilly Council and our sponsors, to acknowledge and celebrate our Armed Forces, Veterans and their families. 2017 will mark the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Passchendale and also 100 years since the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was founded, during the First World War, when the Royal Navy became the first of the three services to officially recruit women, so there will be much to commemorate.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Keith Reynolds, Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council said, “Following the success of the 2016 event, we really were honoured when the organising committee approached us with a view to hosting this prestigious occasion in Caerphilly once again for 2017. This is a wonderful event where residents and visitors from far and wide can come along and show their support and appreciation for the Armed Forces community. I’m confident we can further build on the success of this year’s event and together deliver another first class event in Caerphilly”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​