Guildford Cathedral Will Be Red, White and Blue on Armed Forces Day

Published on: 26 Jun, 2020
Updated on: 26 Jun, 2020

Guildford Cathedral illuminated in blue for the NHS in April.

Guildford Cathedral is to be lit up, red, white and blue tomorrow evening (Saturday, June 27) in honour of the men and women of our Armed Forces.

The Dean of Guildford, the Very Reverend Dianna Gwilliams, said: “It was an enormous privilege for the Cathedral to be lit blue every Thursday for almost three months, to thank those in the health profession and other key workers who have given so much on our behalf in hospitals and amongst the community during this worrying time.

The Very Rev’d Dianna Gwilliams

“Now we have an opportunity to thank our Armed Forces in a similar way, and pay tribute to the men and women, as well as their families, who sacrifice so much to ensure that our country is safe and secure at all times.”

The lighting will be provided by Peachy Productions Ltd, the Surrey-based events company that lit the Cathedral every Thursday night during lockdown to thank the NHS workers. The cost of the Armed Forces Day illumination is being met by Aldershot Town Football Club and the Woking Asian Business Forum.

The Dean continued: “I am so very grateful to Peachy Productions for having provided the lighting all these weeks, and for the generosity of Woking Asian Business Forum and Aldershot Town Football Club and the for making the illumination possible this Saturday.”

The Chairman of Woking Asian Business Forum and Aldershot Town Football Club, Shahid Azeem, added: “We are very proud and honoured to sponsor the illumination of Guildford Cathedral and in particular the contribution the Indian subcontinent made during World Wars 1 and 2, and to have the first Muslim military burial ground in Woking in 1914, which now has been renovated to The Muslim Peace Garden.

Aldershot is the home of the British Army and Aldershot Town FC is the first club in the National League to sign the Armed Military Covenant and the first football club to receive the MOD Silver Employer Recognition Scheme.