Neath Port Talbot’s Armed Forces Festival Day will take place from 10am to 3.30pm on Saturday 25 October in the Aberafan Shopping Centre, Port Talbot, with lots to see and do during the free event.
Events and activities will include the launch of the Royal British Legion Port Talbot’s Poppy Appeal and dedication of the Garden of Remembrance. A flag raising ceremony will take place starting at 10.45am, including The Last Post and a 2-minute silence will be observed at 11am.
This will be followed by the presentation of prizes for two children’s art competitions. ‘The Art of being a Military Child’ and ‘The Art of VE/VJ-Day’ invited children and young people to submit a poem, short story, or picture on these topics. The prizes have been sponsored by the Aberafan Shopping Centre and The Royal Mint.
The afternoon’s programme will feature the South Wales Police Band, Ukrainian Indeed Dance Group (part of Community Group Sunflowers Wales), the Swansea Ukulele Club and 334 (Neath) Squadron RAF Air Cadets Band.
Some of the performances for this event have been supported by the Safer Neath Port Talbot community safety partnership.
There will also be vintage cycles, motorcycles and jeeps courtesy of the Military Vehicle Trust, remote control model tanks and a chance to talk with military re-enactors.
For younger visitors, there will be free face painting.
Banners made from army netting will hang from the ceiling of the shopping centre for the event. The netting is traditionally used to camouflage troops on military operations, but for the festival it will be bedecked with more than 1,500 knitted, crocheted and felt-crafted poppies made by schools, knitting groups and people from across the county borough and beyond.
Added to this will be more than 30 information stands.
Organising the event, part of the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot’s Armed Forces Festival, has been a real partnership effort between Neath Port Talbot Council, The British Armed Forces, The Royal British Legion Port Talbot and the Aberafan Shopping Centre.
