Royal accolade for Wootton Bassett

The role of the town of Wootton Bassett in commemorating the members of the armed forces who have died while on service abroad is to be recognised today with the awarding of the "Royal" accolade.

The Princess Royal is to deliver the Letters Patent on behalf of the Queen making the Wiltshire town Royal Wootton Bassett.

The former defence secretary Dr Liam Fox had been due to attend but following his resignation, the armed forces' delegation will be headed by Sir Peter Wall, the chief of the general staff.

The decision to award the town with the royal prefix was the Queen's following a petition from Prime Minister David Cameron.

The town became famous as thousands of people began to turn out to pay their respects to the fallen service men and women who died in Iraq and Afghanistan who had been repatriated at nearby RAF Lyneham, starting in April 2007.

Wootton Bassett's role ceased at the end of August when the base for repatriations moved to RAF Brize Norton with the town of Carterton taking over as the place for grieving families and members of the public to pay their respects.

Princess Anne will be received by the Lord Lieutenant, John Bush, before the town's mayor, Cllr Paul Heaphy, will show her around an exhibition in the local library of appreciation gifts received by the town.

Anne will then be driven down the High Street to the stage for the parade and the presentation of the Letters Patent.

The town crier, Owen Collier, who has had a new uniform created for the event, will announce her arrival.

The commemoration will then include parades by representatives from the armed forces, accompanied by the Wootton Bassett Band.

The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, Collingwood, will also be taking part and they will march to a piece of music entitled Wootton Bassett, written by Captain Pete Curtis, a Royal Marines director of music.

Following speeches, the flag bearer will break the new Royal Wootton Bassett flag, a ceremonial and historic moment when the new flag is raised for the first time.

The master of ceremonies, Cllr Steve Bucknell, will then invite Canon Thomas Woodhouse to bless the town's new coat of arms.

Weather permitting, there will be flypasts during the day by a Globemaster, a Hercules and a Vulcan bomber.

Johnathan Bourne, clerk to Wootton Bassett Town Council, said: "I hope that many people will come to share this significant event for the town.

"A lot of hard work has gone into making this a really special day for the people of Wootton Bassett and I hope everyone enjoys it."

The town has marked the event by creating a new coat of arms, installing new road signs, commissioning a tea towel and running a baking competition to create a special bun to be known as the Bassett Crown.

The Ministry of Defence has contributed to the cost of the celebrations with a £10,000 grant.

The residents of Wootton Bassett are the first to benefit from the MoD's Community Covenant Grant Scheme.

Philip Hammond, the new Defence Secretary, said: "The people of Wootton Bassett lined the streets in their thousands to show support and respect for our brave servicemen and women who tragically lost their lives in defence of our country.

"It is this community spirit and pride in our armed forces that acts as a shining example to the rest of the nation and embodies the link between the armed forces and the community.

"I am delighted that Wootton Bassett is the first recipient of the Community Covenant Grant Scheme."

Cllr Heaphy thanked the MoD for the award, and added: "Our armed forces are deserving of our support and respect and all those who have lined Wootton Bassett's high street at the repatriations of fallen service personnel demonstrate the high regard in which they are held."

Up to £30 million has been set aside for the grant scheme over four financial years, and so far 38 applications have been made. It aims to fund projects "that promote greater understanding between the military and civilian populations", the MoD said.

Source: PA