Pushpa Rai and Cllr Susan Carey. Photo courtesy of Brian Doorne
Folkestone has a long standing connection with the Gurkha regiment and today the Mayor of Folkestone, Janet Andrews is granting ‘Freedom of Entry’ to the town to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
My escort today is Pushpa Rai who lives Hawkinge and whose husband is currently on active service in Afghanistan. We join the mayor’s procession at the Folkestone Town Council offices. The procession is led by a mace bearer and we are lined up in order of precedence. I am with Michael Howard following Colonel Napier and Brigadier James. As we process through Folkestone, Colonel Napier calls out in Nepali to those he recognises from the Nepalese community.
The town is busy with the street market but also with people who have come to see the Gurhka march past including veterans and school children. The sun shines and everyone applauds the regiment as it marches by. The mayor takes the salute and reads the grant of freedom to march through Folkestone. The soldiers do just that, marching first one way along the Leas and then back.
Before they march back we take the opportunity to look at the flower bed planted out in honour of the Gurhka Welfare trust. Shepway District Councillor, Alan North, is cabinet member for Environmental Services and is responsible for this floral tribute to the Gurhkas. He has cleverly positioned himself to show off the flower bed to Joanna Lumley who is a special guest of today’s event.
Joanna Lumley with the floral tribute
More than 60,000 plants went into the making of this flower bed by Shepway’s Grounds Maintenance Scheme and it will remain in place all summer. (You can find it on the Leas near the entrance to the Leas Cliff Hall and the statue of William Harvey).
After the march pass we process back and people call out everyone ‘Well done, Joanna!’ Everyone wants her photograph and, once we are back at the town council offices, Pushpa and I have our photo taken with the mayor and Joanna as well.
The Gurhka soldiers are both admired and loved by local people and today’s Freedom of Entry March was a splendid way to honour their courage service to our country.