Remembrance Day at Fidra House

Activities Coordinator, Joyce, read out The Poppy poem.

 

THE POPPY

I am not a badge of honour

I am not a racist smear

I am not a fashion statement

To be worn but once a year

I am not a glorification of conflict or of war

I am not a paper ornament,  A token, 

I AM MORE

I am a loving memory of a father, of a son

A permanent reminder Of each and every one

I am paper or enamel I am old or shining new

I am a way of saying thank you

To every one of you.

I am a single Poppy

A reminder to you all

That courage, faith and honour will stand where heroes fall. 

 

We heard the Last Post and Reville, after which John the piper played Flowers of the Forest.  He played a few tunes after the service and our residents were happy to sit with their jackets on and blankets but still tap their feet.

Then, resident Clive Chambers and his wife Margaret, both veterans, laid the poppy wreath on the fountain in the garden.  Clive was in the Army for 12 years which is why he had the honour of laying the wreath.

The piper, John, was from the Pipes and Drums Band – Preston Lodge School  Prestonpans.  

Betty Rankin’s daughter commended us for all the hard work we put in to making the remembrance service special and another residents daughter, Lesley Marshall,  sent us a lovely email after sitting with her mum through the service, and here is an extract from her email. “I  just wanted to say how lovely the atmosphere was yesterday (Sunday) when I visited mum. The young piper really was great and brought a wee tear to many eyes. The staff were so caring to the few residents who got a bit emotional (with a hug or an arm around a shoulder), the pipes bringing back some memories no doubt. Well done everyone at Fidra, you are all very caring and thoughtful. Mum somehow managed to sleep through the bagpipes!!!”