College holds Armistice Day service for veterans

More than 40 veterans from a host of different regiments took part in Bishop Auckland College’s Armistice Day service.

Mike Donne, former Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, is pictured (left of flag) with the college’s Public Services lecturer Sharron Hogarth, former Women’s Royal Army Corps and Royal Logistics Corps (right of flag), Head of School for Public Services Paula Taylor (far right), piper Ruth Wright and bugler Harry Rose with other veterans, staff and students

Mike Donne, President of the County Durham branch of Armed Forces charity the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA), presented the Act of Remembrance at the college’s main Woodhouse Lane campus at 11am.

Trumpeter Harry Rose, aged 14 from Shildon who attends Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, played The Last Post, with veteran piper Ruth Wright, a former Captain with the Royal Corps of Signals, also performing.

The veterans, who included Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines, were also invited to a coffee morning where they were served refreshments, pastries and cakes produced by hospitality and catering students in the college’s restaurant Ambition.

£540 was also raised for the Royal British Legion in a raffle and tombola, with further donations in poppy tins.