November 3rd, 2011
Eastbourne’s Napoleonic Fortress will be holding two special events this week to mark Remembrance Day, including The Story of the Bugler and 11.11.11.11.
This Saturday the Redoubt Fortress will mark the beginning of remembrance week with The Story of the Bugler. The County of Sussex Trumpeter to the Royal British Legion, Heidi Watkins, has been invited to talk to visitors about the role of the Bugler through history and demonstrate some of the most well known bugle calls.
While next Friday, on Remembrance Day, the Redoubt is teaming up with Cavendish School and local artist, Kate Graham, to host a visual community remembrance event to mark the iconic date 11.11.11.11 with a series of drama performances inspired by personal accounts of war and conflict over the past 100 years.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure Cllr Neil Stanley said “This year marks a very special Remembrance Day with the special date 11-11-11-11. The Redoubt Fortress is an important historic venue in Eastbourne and it is very fitting that we mark the day with these special events in memory of our Armed Forces past and present.”
Next Friday’s free event will see the parade ground swirling with paper poppies made by participants and members of the Eastbourne community and the Redoubt is inviting visitors and residents to pop into the venue before Friday to contribute to the field of poppies. The poppies will fill the parade ground as well as drop from the battlements adding to the atmosphere and each handmade poppy will have a coin attached to the bottom, with all coins being detached and donated to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal after the event.
More than 300 school children and community groups will fill the fortress from 10.30am – 11.15am for performances that have been co-ordinated by Bruce Sibley and Luke Sibson from Cavendish School. The 2 minutes silence will be marked at 11am. Other schools taking part include Bourne Primary School, St John’s Meads Church of England Primary School, St Bedes School, Ratton School, Bexhill College and Eastbourne College.
Kate Graham said “The Redoubt is the ideal location for a community ceremony of remembrance, set against the ever changing sea and its timeless horizon, which remains the same through war and peace. On a November morning the weather and the sea may be chilled and calm, or it may be wild and aggressive: whatever the conditions the fortress will stand firm as it always has, providing both outlook and protection. The building has strength and dignity, and the single great space it banks and walls contain seems to provide the perfect setting for a ceremony of remembrance.”
This Saturday’s event starts at 10.30am and tickets cost £5 for adults, £4 for concessions and £3 for children.
For more information on what’s on at the Redoubt go to the Eastbourne Museums website or call 01323 410300.
