The Red Arrows brought military precision and ceremonial excellence to the skies above Cleethorpes over the week as the town hosted national celebrations for Armed Forces Day.
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – the Red Arrows – performed breathtaking stunts over the Humber Estuary as an estimated 200,000 people gathered to celebrate Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes this weekend.
Celebrations began on Saturday with a parade along the seafront involving service personnel, veterans and cadets.
Huge crowds lined the streets as the parade passed, accompanied by music from The Band of the Coldstream Guards – famous worldwide for performing during Changing the Guard and at Trooping The Colour.
Armed Forces personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force all took part in the procession.
Alex Baxter, Managing Director of the Armed Forces Major Events Committee in Cleethorpes, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to be able to host the Armed Forces Day national event for a second time here in the resort.
“Each year, we join together along with around 200,000 visitors, to say thank you to our Armed Forces, both past, present, and their families.”
Chief of the Air Staff Sir Richard Knighton joined dignitaries on a dais overlooking the estuary to watch the parade pass.
Chinook helicopters from Royal Air Force Odiham flew over the celebrations, and a Hurricane and Spitfire from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight performed a flypast.
The seaside celebrations also included a military village of exhibitions and activities, three entertainment stages, a fireworks display and a ‘thank you’ concert for residents and tourists.
The Ministry of Defence has also announced that the bidding process for next year’s Armed Forces Day national event will open next week, on Tuesday 1 July.
Local authorities can apply for up to £50,000 in funding to host the official Armed Forces Day national event. This follows the government’s decision to bring back the Armed Forces Day national event for the first time since 2023.
The winning town or city will also receive support from the Ministry of Defence such as military musicians, air displays and flypasts.
Armed Forces Day – the last Saturday of June – is an annual opportunity to show support and gratitude for the Armed Forces community, including serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets, and their families.
Recent Armed Forces Day national events have been hosted by Falmouth (2023), Scarborough (2022) and Salisbury (2019).
The Ministry of Defence recently announced ambitious plans to transform defence to make Britain safer – secure at home and strong abroad.
The Government says it will continue with the Conservative’s plans and put the Armed Forces community at the heart of decision making and “renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve and adopting a whole-of-society approach to our national resilience.”
National occasions like Armed Forces Day help support the defence industry boosting local economies and ensuring all parts of society contribute to our national security.
The Ministry of Defence provides funding to local authorities and charities who hold Armed Forces Day events in their community.
Currently, 8,200 members of the UK Armed Forces are deployed overseas, serving on 52 operations in 38 countries. Hundreds more personnel are working to protect our skies, shores and seas at home.
There are around two million military veterans in the United Kingdom. The government’s Office for Veterans’ Affairs lead efforts to support veterans and celebrate their brilliant contributions to society.
