The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

spoons · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject: Remembrance Monday

Number 10 Downing Street has approved a petition that was launched
requesting a new public holiday falling on the Monday after Remembrance
Sunday in November each year. To be known as the National Remembrance
Holiday, it's got three aims:

1. To emphasise the remembrance of those servicemen and women who have
given, and continue to give, their lives for Britain

2. To remind people of the importance of protecting our Nation and what it
stands for;

3. To break that 3 month period between the August Public Holiday and
Christmas when there are currently no long weekends, especially as the UK
has fewer public holidays than most European Countries.

If you agree to the idea, please sign up to the petition - it doesn't take
long - and it would be great if you were to forward the link to other people
as well. If you are not interested, just hit the delete key. This is not
just about another bank holiday, but more importantly about having a
designated day to remember all those people that sacrificed their lives for
our freedom.

THIS IS A NOTEABLE PETITION THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAVE ASKED FOR PLEASE SIGN

IF YOU WANT AN EXTRA BANK HOLIDAY .

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/remembermonday/

Got the above in my mail today, seems like a good idea to me. Should allow us to stay over if we want to attend a remembrance ceremony further from home. Also a good idea if you want to get around any graves or memorials while the poppies are still fresh.

\Paul

David McNay · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

Couple of things:

Firstly, this isn't a petition that the Government have "asked for" - anyone can submit a petition to the government. Some of the petitions can be downright ridiculous.

Secondly, we already have a national Remembrance Day. It happens every 11th November.

Still, if you want to sign the petition, it's a free country.

Adam Brown · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject:

I'm guessing that if it were approved we'd actually lose one of the May Bank Holidays. I'd be surprised if another one was added to the eight currently in place.

Currently the UK Bank Holidays are

New Year’s Day
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Early May Bank Holiday - First Monday in May
Spring Bank Holiday - Last Monday in May
Summer Bank Holiday - Last Monday in August
Christmas Day
Boxing Day

Other days such as 2nd January in Scotland and Victoria day taken in Edinburgh are local holidays.

Adam

anne park · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: Remembrance Day

I think Remembrance Day should be kept as a day of reflection and if you ask how many people can say how it started?
It should not be a day off work. You can still remember them.... Anne

Adam Brown · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject:

Blimey Paul I bet this is more controversial than you'd expected!

Cheers

Adam

anne park · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject: Remembrance

I've just read the first entry and you said "gave their lives for Britain." Well the man who thought about having two minutes of reflection was remembering the fallen and his son who was South African. Anne

spoons · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject:

Wow, that was exciting Confused

I saw the mail and published it exactly as I received it because it mentioned commemoration so I thought it worthy of discussion on this forum but I did not expect so much interest.

As for my personal views, yes I think we need commemoration of our war dead (and veterans) but I think we already have this. Yes I think we need an additional holiday or two to bring us more into line with other EU countries (most have around 11 days). This is acknowledged in the public sector where my contract gives me 11 'stat' days, 7 of which are fixed.

I think making a holiday out of a day of commemoration is a mistake, we should keep remembrance Sunday separate and find another excuse/reason to have another holiday added.

Incidentally, the list that David posted are the English bank holidays, not the Scottish ones . My own diary has the same dates for Scottish holidays and this is also incorrect (black mark to Collins).

The official bank holidays for Scotland for 2008 are:

Jan 1 and 2, Mar 21, May 5 and 26, Aug 4 and Dec 1, 25 and 26 (8 days in all due to the addition of St Andrews day). The Scottish Bank holiday in August is the first Monday (not the last) although banks may actually close on the last (not the first) in order to harmonise with banks in England and Wales (with me so far Shocked

). As David says, there are also public or local holidays. So what is a bank holiday then? Banks may or may not be closed and you may or may not get the day off. If you can be bothered to read more ...........http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/01/bankholidays

(mr pedantic strikes again!..........sorry)

\Paul