MP supports flag initiative on 10th March
For the first time ever, local authorities and civic dignitaries, community groups and charities throughout the British Isles are taking part in local flag raising events and ceremonies of dedication to mark Commonwealth Day including at Basildon Council which will be raising the Commonwealth Flag on the flagpole at The Basildon Centre to commemorate Commonwealth Day. To mark Commonwealth Day, 500 Commonwealth flags will be raised throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man at 10.00am on Monday 10th March 2014.
John said:
“Britain is a proud member of the Commonwealth, with which we have so much in common – a shared language, culture and history. With 54 member countries, and a population of 2 billion people, the Commonwealth is the network for the future. This Commonwealth Day flag initiative is an excellent idea and congratulations to Basildon Council for supporting it.”
Peter Virdee, Chairman of the Virdee Foundation said:
“This will be the largest, single, raising of the Commonwealth Flag in the history of the Commonwealth. The success of this year’s event bodes well for 2015 and the future”, said Peek, “as we extend the invitation to participate and involve all 53 countries of the Commonwealth and UK overseas territories, to make this the largest-ever annual occasion involving local communities throughout the worldwide Commonwealth family.”
His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, said:
“Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth is a most imaginative way for people in local communities – wherever they live, learn or work – to join together with others throughout the Commonwealth in a spirit of respect and understanding to celebrate the variety and unmatched diversity of our global family. I welcome and commend it.”
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Word Count: 293
Date: 6th March 2014
Notes to Editors:
This new initiative, which has caught the imagination of thousands of participants, enables people in their local communities to become involved and join with others nationwide in associating themselves with widespread public expression of commitment to the Commonwealth, appreciation of the values it stands for, and the opportunities offered to its citizens around the world.
A specially written Commonwealth Affirmation will be read out at each ceremony before the raising of the Commonwealth flag at 10am on Monday 10th March 2014, led by either the Lord Lieutenant, Member of Parliament, Lord Mayor, Lord Provost, Mayor, Leader, Chairman, or nominated representative of each participating local authority or administration.
Charity teams will mark the day by taking Commonwealth Flags to the top of the UK’s four highest National Peaks and use the occasion to raise funds for their worthy causes: Cancer Research UK – Scafell Pike, England; Help for Heroes – Ben Nevis, Scotland; Walking with the Wounded – Mount Snowdon, Wales; and Fields of Life – Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland.
Commonwealth Flags will also be flown at many locations of special significance including the four capital cities of the United Kingdom, Land’s End in Cornwall, the most westerly point in England; St. David’s in Pembrokeshire: the westernmost city in Wales; Carlisle in Cumbria: the northernmost city in England; Lowestoft in Suffolk: the easternmost town in England; and Unst in the Shetland Islands, the most northerly inhabited island in Scotland. Flags will also be raised at the Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula, and at the Halley VI Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf, as well as King Edward Point and Bird Island in South Georgia.
Esri UK Interactive Map:
“We are exceptionally proud to support the ‘Fly a Flag’ for Commonwealth initiative and, to help raise awareness of the day, we have built an interactive map www.esriuk.com/flyaflagmap that shows where the individual flag raising events are taking place, throughout the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man,” explained Dr Richard Waite, Managing Director of Esri UK. We strongly encourage all local authorities and others taking part to post the map on their website, so local citizens and the media can easily find details of their local event and become involved in what will be a most special day.” The map will be available to be available for viewing by the media and the public from 5th February.
Those taking part will be receiving their Commonwealth Flags on Monday 10th February 2014, one month in advance of the event.
For further information, please contact :
Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth’: Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, Pageantmaster.
Tel: 07737 262 913
Email: pageantmaster@mac.com
Names of Local all Authorities and others taking part:
See pages 7 through to 12 in the Guide To Taking Part by going to:
www.flyaflagforthecommonwealth.com
Official ‘Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth interactive Map:
Please visit: www.esriuk.com/flyaflagmap
Commonwealth Secretariat: David Banks.
Tel: 0207 747 6130 – 07770 400 031
The Virdee Foundation: Peter Virdee, Chairman of the Virdee Foundation: 0207 629 33 66 – 07770 400 031
Esri UK: Sarah Webb.
Tel: 01296 745 500
Email: swebb@esriuk.com
Cancer Research UK: Lizzie Fenton.
Tel: 0203 469 8735.
Help for Heroes:
Shaun Pickford.
Tel: 01725 514 105
Fields of Life:
Helen Keon.
Tel: 02838 390 395
Walking with the Wounded:
Alex Rayner.
0207 422 8260.
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