Westmorland and Furness Council will be proudly marking Armed Forces Week 2025 (22-28 June) with a series of flag raising ceremonies taking place across the area.
Armed Forces Week is an opportunity for communities across the country to show their support for the Armed Forces community, from currently serving personnel and their families to veterans and cadets. It also includes Reserves Day on Wednesday 25 June, which celebrates the valuable contribution of Reservists, and culminates with Armed Forces Day on Saturday 28 June.
Flags will be raised at the town hall buildings in Barrow, Kendal and Penrith to mark the start of the week and to recognise the contributions of the Armed Forces community.
Everyone is welcome to come along and show their support at the flag raising events:
- Barrow – the Armed Forces Day flag raising in Barrow will take place on Saturday (21 June), organised by Barrow Town Council. Attendees are invited to arrive at 10.30am, when a short parade will form up on Market Street, alongside the town hall. The parade will proceed to Barrow Town Hall for the presentation of the Armed Forces Day flag, which will then be raised and flown from the town hall at 11.00am. Councillor Bill McEwan, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Armed Forces Champion for the Barrow area will be in attendance to show his support.
- Kendal – on Monday (23 June), Westmorland and Furness Council invites attendees to arrive at 11.00am for refreshments in Kendal Town Hall (Assembly Room), followed by the official Armed Forces Day flag raising outside the town hall at 11.30am, accompanied by a bugler. The event will be attended by Deputy Lieutenant, Colonel (Retd) Christopher Sanderson OBE JP, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Chairman, Councillor Doug Rathbone, Armed Forces Champion for South Lakeland, Councillor Vicky Hughes, members of the Royal British Legion, local veterans and cadets.
- Penrith – Westmorland and Furness Council, in partnership with Penrith Town Council and the Royal British Legion, will hold a short ceremony to raise the Armed Forces Day flag outside Penrith Town Hall at 10.00am on Monday (23 June). The flag will be raised by Eden’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Mike Eyles, while Westmorland and Furness Council’s Deputy Chairman, Councillor Mark Rudhall, and the Mayor of Penrith, Councillor Valerie Bowen, will deliver short speeches affirming both councils’ commitment to the Armed Forces. Light refreshments will be provided afterwards in the Sandgate Room at Penrith Methodist Church until noon.
The council is proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged by their service.
To find out more about the council’s support for the Armed Forces community, visit westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk and search for 'armed forces' or email armedforces@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.