Sadness as Cotgrave’s remembrance parade canceled

Helen Joyce, 45, has lived in Cotgrave for 13 years. She set up the petition, and said she was “disheartened and disappointed by the decision”.

She conceded the numbers of people attending the parade have dwindled in recent years.

But she added: “It doesn’t matter how many people come; there should be some visual act of remembrance on the street.”

“It feels like the beginning of Cotgrave forgetting, and that’s very, very sad”.

Some residents have expressed their regret at the cancellation of the event.

Helena Coupland, 36 and from Cotgrave, said: “I think it’s a shame because they do a great job of it every year.”

Cotgrave Town Council said the on-road Remembrance Parade has “faced difficulties for several years”.

The authority said it has “struggled to safely staff the event” and there was a lack of marshals in 2023 which meant it had to pay for a private security firm.