Aberdeen to hold intimate Remembrance Sunday event

09 October 2020

In response to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic, the City of Aberdeen’s Service of Remembrance will take place in the Remembrance Hall, Aberdeen Art Gallery on Sunday 8 November 2020, commencing at 10.50am.

To commemorate this very important occasion, this scaled down, physically distanced, indoor Service of Remembrance will take place in accordance with Scottish Government guidelines.

The Remembrance Hall was first dedicated by a Minister many decades ago then rededicated by Rev Hutton Steel, Moderator of Aberdeen Presbytery, when it re-opened on 02 November 2019, following the redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Attendance at the Service of Remembrance is restricted to invited attendees only in line with Covid guidance and the public are respectfully asked not to attend.

The service will be led by Reverend Ian Murray of the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting and those in attendance will include the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council Co-Leaders and Group Leaders and representatives from the Armed Forces past and present.

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen Barney Crockett said: “These are very challenging times we are living in right now and I think it is especially important that we have an opportunity to pause and reflect.

“Aberdeen has a proud history of support for our Armed Forces and the Act of Remembrance allows us to mark the sacrifices made by so many during times of conflict. It is also a time to remember those who have been injured physically and mentally by conflict.

“I am pleased we will be able to hold a special service in the Remembrance Hall although it’s unfortunate we cannot invite members of the public to attend due to Covid restrictions.

“At least at 11am, we can ‘come together’ in quiet contemplation to reflect and show our respect and admiration for the bravery and courage of our servicemen and women past and present.”

The 20-minute service will be timed to allow the congregation to observe the two-minute silence at 11am. Only the Lord Provost, on behalf of the people of Aberdeen, will lay a wreath at the service. Due to Covid restrictions all other wreaths will be laid in advance.

The Art Gallery will be closed to the public for the service to take place and to enable staff to clean all the areas that have been used during the service before it can open to the public.

The poppy wreaths laid as part of the Service of Remembrance will remain in the Remembrance Hall for several weeks, where they will be available to be viewed by the public, subject to Aberdeen Art Gallery’s published opening times and any Covid-19 restrictions and protocols that may be in place at the venue.

Members of the public who may wish to visit the War Memorial, which is located outside the Art Gallery, for the purpose of making individual tributes should observe physical distancing restrictions.