Today students, staff and a number of distinguished guests, civic leaders and veterans gathered for Nescot’s Remembrance service, joining together to honour the courage and sacrifice of armed forces members who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, supporting the Armed Forces community is an important part of Nescot’s values and provides an opportunity to ensure future generations understand the importance of remembering and honouring those who have served.
Opening the service, our Principal and CEO, Julie Kapsalis MBE, shared why coming together to remember matters:
Remembrance Day remains a solemn occasion to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who have given their lives in service to their country, as well as those who are serving today. In a world where conflict continues, this day serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring human spirit and the importance of preserving peace.
We were honoured to welcome a number of distinguished guests and members of the local community to our Remembrance Day commemorations. Thank you to the Reverend Canon Andrew Haviland for leading the service and to Barbara Warwick, Chair of the Epsom and Ewell Branch of the Royal British Legion for delivering a moving speech. We were also pleased to be joined by the Mayor of Epsom and Ewell, Councillor Lucie McIntyre; Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey Mary Zoeller and a number of veterans, whose presence made the ceremony especially meaningful.
Some of the most moving moments came from our students. Public Services delivered a poignant reading of ‘For The Fallen‘, while Foundation students sang a heartfelt performance of ‘We’ll meet again’ featuring a beautiful solo by visually impaired student Ariana, accompanied by fellow students signing the words in British Sign Language. Foundation students also helped create a fitting tribute for the service by decorating the Skills Park for the occasion and setting up the Remembrance Museum. This year, a lot of the items on display in the Remembrance Museum have been loaned by local historian and vintage salvage shop owner Russell Hardiman. His shop, ‘Memories’ is on Woodmansterne Street in Banstead, Surrey if you’d like to visit.
Bugler Dennis Sexton also joined the Remembrance commemoration again this year to play a moving rendition of ‘The Last Post’ and lead everyone into a two-minute silence, before wreaths were laid in remembrance.
Julie closed the ceremony with these final thoughts.
Thank you all for joining us today and for taking the time to reflect, remember, and honour those who have served and continue to serve our country. As we come to the close of this service, let us carry forward the spirit of remembrance: through kindness, unity, and commitment to peace.
