Blackpool Council, in partnership with the Fylde Ex-Service Liaison Committee

is committed, through the annual celebration of Veterans Week, to ‘Honour

and Unite All Who Served’. Building upon the successes achieved over

three previous years, Blackpool has created the most ambitious and diverse

programme of events to date, which will take place over nine days from

Saturday 21 – Sunday 29 June 2008.

The programme is designed to provide an exciting range of activities appealing to veterans of

all ages, as well as their families, friends, members of the Armed Forces and the wider general

public. Veterans’ Week will begin with military role demonstrations, exhibitions and recruitment

opportunities by the Armed Forces, followed by a huge choice of activities throughout the week,

building up to National Veterans’ Day 2008 and an exciting weekend of entertainment and

celebration. Much of the activity is created for and by veterans.

Blackpool’s Victorian North Pier will be a focal point and meeting place for veterans, their families

and friends, providing a centre for entertainment, socialising, information sharing, and contact

with welfare services. Free golf buggies will be provided to transport visitors along the pier, should

they require assistance. Notice boards will be erected which will enable individuals to notify

others of their presence at the event, and to assist in the creating of personal reunions. Training

will be provided to representatives of veterans associations to assist with sourcing funding and

submitting bids. This will be delivered by official bodies for example Awards for All. An outdoor

stage and screen will be sited on the promenade adjacent to the pier, providing a location for badge

presentations, speeches and further entertainment.

Providing a dynamic launch to National

Veterans Day 2008, Veterans who have

accepted challenges in and even on the major

attractions in the resort will put their skills to

the test to receive their Veterans Badge in a

truly unique way.

This media opportunity is designed to highlight

that there are many young veterans with

transferable skills which they can apply to the

workplace, and encourage individuals to have

a sense of pride when receiving their Veterans

Badge.

For example, Veterans will be challenged to

climb Blackpool Tower, dive to the bottom of

the shark tank at SeaLife Blackpool, ride the

Big One at Pleasure Beach Blackpool or put

their hand in the snake pit at Blackpool Zoo, to

retrieve their Veterans Badge.

Those who successfully complete their

challenge will be congratulated by a VIP or

celebrity and offered the opportunity to have

the Badge presented more formally at the

event later in the day. Young veterans in the

emergency services have already shown great

interest in participating in these challenges.

In order to achieve maximum exposure and

national media coverage for the Veterans

helpline and website, school children and

cadets will be involved in the recreation of

images of the Veterans Badge, Veterans

Helpline number and website address by

positioning themselves in blocks of colour on

Blackpool’s Central Beach which can be then

viewed, filmed and photographed from the top

of Blackpool Tower.

Following extensive restoration of Blackpool’s

Cenotaph carried out over the past 18

months, a rededication service will be held

incorporating the unveiling of a new statue

designed around the theme of Freedom.

Invited to the multi faith service of celebration

and rededication will be veterans, cadets,

serving military, including 12 Regiment RA and

103 Regiment RA (v), and the general public. To

ensure accessibility, seating will be provided

for those who require it and a British Sign

Language interpreter will be present. The

interpreters will be present at other events

during the day.

As the product of research undertaken by

school children throughout Blackpool, a

Schools Service will be held at the Cenotaph.

The content of this will be entirely chosen by

the children allowing them to highlight what

they have learnt through their interaction with

local veterans.

Leading up to Veterans Day, schools will

research the conflicts since World War II

and develop an exhibition from their work.

Throughout the week, trees will be planted

in memory of each conflict by a child and a

veteran. Each tree will display an identifying

plaque. On Veterans Day, a tree or trees will be

planted as a media opportunity and to promote

the project.

To publicly thank Veterans for their service,

a ceremonial badge presentation will take

place on the outdoor stage on Blackpool’s

Promenade. Qualifying veterans from all forces

(including the Merchant Navy), of all ages, and

who have served in locations throughout the

world, will be invited to receive their badge.

This will also be shown on the big screen.

Seen for the first time in the UK, Aero GP is

an exciting new air race which will wow the

crowds in Blackpool during Veterans Week. To

mark National Veterans Day, the pilots, many

of whom are veterans themselves, will race and

perform demonstrations of dog fighting and

target bombing.

The event, which continues through the

weekend is unlike any other air race in the

UK. The disciplines featured in the events

demonstrate the true skills of the pilots as the

more commonly seen single plane time trials,

are replaced with multi-aircraft, high speed

action.

Aero GP is run by Jeff Zaltman, a former

American Air Force pilot and Iraq War veteran.

Pleasure flights will be offered to veterans

attending the celebrations. Through the

installation of cockpit cameras, large screens

will bring the audience closer to the action,

providing all with a pilot’s view of the skies.

Military Displays and exhibitions will be offered

by serving military personnel throughout the

day. In addition, Clive Evans from CJ Evans

International, himself a veteran, who has vast

experience of working with the Armed Forces

will assist by providing additional combat

equipment and assets for military displays.

To enable the presentation of a larger number

of badges to veterans, a second ceremony will

be held in the magnificent Tower Ballroom.

This will include afternoon tea and provide the

opportunity for socialising and time to relax.

To allow visitors to the resort, and residents

of Blackpool to turn out to support the

veterans, a spectacular evening parade has

been scheduled into the programme. Marching

along the famous Golden Mile, past the iconic

Blackpool Tower, will be veterans with their

Associations, the Armed Forces, cadets,

reserves, the emergency services and marching

bands.

Ensuring that veterans of all ages are drawn

to the celebrations, the entertainment

will include traditional military bands

alongside contemporary pop stars, creating

an intergenerational experience for all.

Programmed into the concert will be short

speeches by invited celebrities and veterans

which will maximise the potential to reach new

audiences and spread awareness of veterans

and Veterans Day. To ensure that all veterans

are able to take part, there will be a seated area

and platform for those with disabilities.

An illuminated, night time parachute drop is

planned (subject to the successful securing

of assets) followed by a spectacular firework

display. An element of the display will include

the raising of national flags recreated in

fireworks, to represent the international

veterans associations with whom we will be

working, providing a stunning grand finale to

the event.

Providing the display will be Kimbolton Fireworks,

who stage Blackpool’s World Fireworks

Championships and were responsible for the

most watched firework display of all time: the

celebration of the handover of Hong Kong.

Working with the emergency services and other

bodies including Mountain Rescue, PADI and

Beach Patrol, demonstrations of skills which can

be gained during a career in the Armed Forces

including first aid, hose running, diving, search

and rescue skills will be made to the public, to

highlight that these are vital to society.

These organisations will also be invited to exhibit

and promote their services on North Pier.

Visitors to Blackpool’s town centre will be

treated to an interactive history lesson as the

forces roll into town.

To inform the general public of the Veterans

Week events, and to encourage involvement,

actors will be employed to interact with the

public providing them with information about

experiences of being in the Armed Forces and

the skills that can be gained.

The town centre will be dressed with all kinds

of military memorabilia including jeeps, sentries

on buildings and regimental exercises, all

beneath miles of red, white and blue bunting

festooned around the town.

A dedicated website: www.veteransweek.co.uk

will be launched to promote National Veterans

Day leading up to the celebrations. This will link

to the service Personnel and Veterans Agency

website, and provide a mechanism to reach

veterans of all ages and backgrounds.

Profiles of individual veterans will be

posted onto the sites, detailing their service

background and their contributions to society.

Social networking sites will be useful as a

tool for informing individuals about former

colleagues, regiments and associations who will

be present at the celebrations, and arranging

reunions.

Workshops will begin in schools for the

exhibitions, the schools Cenotaph service and

other activity in which children will be involved.

Veterans will also present to schools on their

experiences both in and out of the Armed Forces.

Working with Blackpool transport providers,

veterans who now work as taxi drivers, bus and

tram drivers will be identified and provided with

stickers and ‘I am a veteran’ badges to raise

awareness among the public and visitors to the

town. Taxi drivers will also be briefed about the

significance of Veterans Day, forthcoming events

and Blackpool’s links with the Armed Forces

so that they are able to provide information to

visitors.

Building on Blackpool’s annual air show and

launching the celebrations, the Military Display

will include the Royal Marines display team

conducting a beach assault, beach landing and

hostage situation demonstration. Requests

for assets have already been lodged with the

RAF, Army and Royal Navy and confirmation of

involvement will be known by February 2008.

In addition to displays, the event will provide

recruitment opportunities for the Armed

Forces, as the show will be promoted to the

general public.

Pleasure Beach Blackpool will erect a huge

banner (Wind Loading allowing) displaying the

Veterans Helpline number on “The Big One”

Europe’s tallest roller coaster. Working in

partnership with Blackpool Council to promote

Veterans Week, a Pleasure Beach 2 for 1

promotion will also be available for veterans

during the celebrations helping to attract a

younger audience.

Veterans will be invited to deliver talks and

readings recounting their experiences. These

will be hosted in local bookshops, the library

and appropriate public venues.

A variety of films will be screened by the local

Odeon Cinema during Veterans Week. In

addition, there will be free screenings of films

depicting life during World War II specifically

created as an education tool for Primary School

children. A simple display will be erected in

the foyer to provide additional information for

cinema goers on Blackpool’s Veterans Week

activities.

Working with the emergency services and

other bodies including Mountain Rescue, PADI

and Beach Patrol, demonstrations of skills

which can be gained during a career in the

Armed Forces including first aid, hose running,

diving, search and rescue skills will be made to

the public, to highlight that these are vital to

society.

A celebratory event featuring a five-course

dinner, military band and gala entertainment in

the impressive setting of the Empress Ballroom.

This event has proved highly successful

in previous years, attracting hundreds of

veterans.

World renowned resident organist Phil Kelsall

will play the Mighty Wurlitzer in an concert in

the magnificent surroundings of Blackpool’s

famous Tower Ballroom. The programme of

music will include recognisable military themed

pieces.

The launch of an air race for veterans delivered

by veterans! Two days of exhibition flying

followed by the main air race competition, in

this brand new event for Blackpool and the

UK. The event highlights Blackpool’s history of

hosting air races and its links with national and

international air forces. This spectacular event

will draw crowds to the town who would have

not previously have engaged in the veterans

celebrations. The partnership with Aero GP is

long-term, helping to build on future Veterans

Week celebrations and ensure sustainability.

For 2 nights only, the Pleasure Beach will

produce a brand new show full of music, dance

and humour especially for Veterans Day. The

show will appeal to veterans of all ages and

backgrounds.

Involving both veterans and invited Armed

Forces teams, Blackpool Cricket Club will host

this fun day for all of the family complete with

afternoon tea in the club house for non-players.

St Dustan’s will also be invited to participate

and receive training from the England Blind

Cricket team (to be confirmed).

An inter-generational golf day will be hosted

at Stanley Park Golf Course. The rules of the

tournament will state that: At least one member

of the team is a veteran. The two players

must have an age gap of at least 10 years,

encouraging interaction between veterans

of all ages. Linking with the Armed Forces

promoted sports; this will be a gentle wind

down from 9 days of exciting activity.

Please note: this information is for guidance only, dates, times and details may change. for the latest

news click on www.veteransweek.co.uk or phone Visit Blackpool Tel. 01253 478222