Summary: The city of Stirling has been announced as the host of next year’s Armed Forces Day, receiving £25,000 from the MOD to honour UK Armed Forces.
Plans to create the national event on 28 June 2014 are already underway, enabling the local community to lead the nation in honouring UK Armed Forces personnel past and present.
The national event forms part of the broader Armed Forces Day campaign. Held annually over one week in June, it is a week of celebrations and activities encouraging the public to show their support for the Armed Forces ‘family’ of servicemen and women, veterans, cadets and their families.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “I congratulate the city of Stirling on its successful bid to host the UK Armed Forces Day event next year. I know that Stirling, with its strong historic military links with the Army and the Royal Air Force, will mount a spectacular celebration of our military and lead the rest of the United Kingdom in honouring our Armed Forces personnel past and present. Our Armed Forces are an institution that serve and protect all of us as a United Kingdom.”
Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore said: “Stirling is proud to call itself the ‘Heart of Scotland’ and I am sure there will be an array of activities planned to make it a superb focal point for the UK-wide celebrations in support of our Armed Forces in communities throughout the country.”
Five bids made to the Ministry of Defence to host the 2014 national event, and all were assessed through careful selection against their applications.