Out & About: Royston Remembers – Remembrance Parade and Service

October 24, 2026 / Children and Families, Community News, Loving Local Living, Organisations, Out and About

A Personal Reflection by Amy Murphy…

Normally at this time of year, Chris Murphy, Organiser – Royston Armistice Day and Royston’s Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service, writes his annual article on remembrance; this year, he thought it would be good to ask Amy, his wife, to write this year’s piece.

Amy has helped Chris for many years with the preparations for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day and has her own close family ties to military service; over to you Amy…

As a young teenager, I attended Royston’s Remembrance parade and services as an Army Cadet, more than 30years ago.

Today, it means a great deal to me to help support an occasion that has been part of my life for so long. Seeing our community come together, with familiar faces and new generations taking their place, is something I find deeply moving.

There is also a very personal pride in standing beside and supporting Chris, who as many know, has devoted more than 30 years of service and dedication to building Royston’s Remembrance parade and service into what it is today. I have seen the time, care and commitment he puts into making each year a fitting tribute. To stand alongside him and see our town turn out in such numbers means more than I can easily put into words.

Behind every name on a memorial is a person, a family and a story.

For some of those attending, remembrance is very personal: a relative who never returned, someone they served alongside, or a loved one whose life was changed by conflict. Others come simply to stand alongside their neighbours and pay their respects. Each person brings their own reason for being there.

This Remembrance, we remember and honour all those who have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown, in the First World War and every war and conflict since. We honour those who gave their lives, those who returned carrying visible and unseen wounds, and the families who have shared in their sacrifice.

With each passing year, fewer people remain who remember the Second World War through their own lived experience. As that generation grows smaller, our responsibility to remember grows ever greater. We owe it to those who fought, those who supported the war effort at home, and those who gave their lives to preserve their stories and help younger generations understand the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Freedom is not free. It came at a cost that so many families carried and continue to carry. Taking time to remember is one small but meaningful way we can honour that sacrifice.

I would warmly encourage you to join us, whether you attend every year or have never been before. Families and young people are especially welcome. My own experience as a cadet showed me how much these occasions can stay with you, and how the meaning of remembrance can deepen as you grow older.

When I look at the crowds lining Royston’s streets today, I feel proud of the care our town shows. In the quiet of the two-minute silence, we share something that reaches across generations: gratitude, sorrow, and a commitment to remember.

We will remember them.

Amy Murphy