Local county soldiers to parade through Worcester City Centre

Local county soldiers will be marching through Worcester City Centre on June 25 to mark Armed Forces Day.

The parade will be conducted by the 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment, which was given the freedom of the city in 2007. It will be  its last parade in Worcester before the merging of the Mercian Regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions.

Leading the parade will be the Regimental Mascot, Private Derby XXXII, a Swaledale ram previously the mascot of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters; one of the Mercian Regiment's antecedent regiments.

Also attending the parade will be the Band of the Mercian Regiment, the 2nd Battalion of the Mercian Regiment, and members of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Association.

The parade will set off from Cornmarket Square at 11.30am, where it will turn right into Mealcheapen Street, before heading straight onto St Swithin's Street, and then left onto High Street. Following this the soldiers will march left onto Pump Street and then left again onto New Street, where they will head back to Cornmarket Square for 12 noon.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Grover MBE, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment, said: "We are delighted to be visiting Worcester once again and exercising our freedom of the city.

"Worcester is a great supporter of the Armed Forces, with many of our soldiers originating from Worcestershire and the surrounding areas.

"While this will be the last parade of the 2nd Battalion in Worcester before the merging of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, the regiment will remain committed to serving the city and will continue to support Worcester when the battalions officially merge in October."

Worcester City councillor and Armed Forces Champion Chris Mitchell added: “We are delighted that the Mercians will be able to join us once again in Worcester to mark Armed Forces Day and I hope that residents will turn out to show their support for our local regiment, which was given the freedom of the city in 2007.”

The Infantry Engagement Team (IET) will have information stalls and activities in Cathedral Square between 10am and 4pm.