Residents of North Yorkshire are being encouraged to mark Remembrance Sunday on 8 November this year in a safe way.

Restrictions in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic mean that events to mark the occasion will involve small, socially distanced wreath-laying ceremonies rather than the familiar parades and large public gatherings.

Richard Flinton, Chair of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF), which brings together councils, emergency services and health organisations to tackle the pandemic, said: “We know people will be disappointed that they cannot mark Remembrance Sunday on the scale we usually would, particularly as this is the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.  “We understand how important the act of Remembrance is to so many people across North Yorkshire, not least because of the contribution to the county of the large number of armed forces personnel who live and work here.  Remembrance Sunday is a time of quiet, personal reflection and we can all still take that time to consider the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives in war.”

Some Remembrance ceremonies in North Yorkshire will be streamed online, enabling people to watch from home, so people can check with local organisations to see whether this is happening near them.

Anyone who does watch a ceremony outdoors on 8 November must follow the current safety measures, including observing the rule of six and social distancing rules. They should expect to be asked by event organisers for contact details to enable track and trace, if necessary.

Alternatively, people can watch the national ceremony on television or observe two minutes’ silence at 11am in their home or on their doorstep with neighbours, making sure they remain socially distanced.

Remembrance Sunday services are traditionally part of communal worship. Places of worship remain open for communal services for as many people as can be safely accommodated. Anyone taking part in a Remembrance Sunday service at a place of worship must adhere to the social distancing guidelines already in place for that location.