Workington will host its 10th annual Armed Forces Day celebration on Saturday, June 29 and everyone is encouraged to fall in to show their support for our boys and girls past, present and future.

A full day of free events has been organised, paid for by fundraising events throughout the year.

Celebrations will begin at 11am when a parade of serving armed forces personnel, veterans and cadets will march from Pow Street to Vulcan Park, led by the Tyneside Pipe Band.

Anyone with links to the forces is invited to join the parade, which will muster at 10.45am, and those without are encouraged to show their support by lining the streets, waving Union Flags and cheering the troops as they pass.

There will be a drumhead service in the park, led by Canon Bryan Rowe with music from Workington Town Band, before the parade continues on to Workington Royal British Legion Club.

Lunch will provided there for the marchers and stalls, including face painting, tombolas and charity stands, will be open from around noon to 3pm, along with a burger van.

Indoors, the pipe band will perform a display at 1pm to start several hours of entertainment which continues with singer Sam Davidson at 2pm.

Organiser Lesley Jackson said: “Hopefully he’ll get the party started and get everyone in a good mood.”

Music continues at 4pm with the D-Day Darlings, who have performed at the event for the last eight years and will bring their show Songs That Won The War. At 6pm, Steve and Shelly of Renaissance will entertain the crowds, followed by Just Steve at 8pm.

Lesley launched the event in 2010 with club stewardess Pat Lavin and this year the pair have enlisted the help of a small committee of supporters to help with the preparations.

Lesley said: “We can’t believe we’re still doing it. We thought we’d do it once and never do it again.

“The support we’ve had from people involved with the armed forces and from the people of Workington has made it worthwhile and spurred us on.

“We’d like to see as many people as possible supporting the event.

“We should always recognise our armed forces.”