YORK is preparing to remember those who laid down their lives for their country. 

The Royal British Legion's annual poppy appeal has been launched at the Mansion House, a Garden of Remembrance will open in Duncombe Place on Saturday and the city’s Festival of Remembrance will take place on Sunday afternoon at a new venue, St Peter’s School.

The festival has raised huge sums for the appeal over the years, with the total already coming to more than £150,000 by 2017.

Festival producer Sandie Dunleavy says this year's event will have two major themes - 'farewell to our longest serving Commander in Chief and the 40th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict.'

She said the performers were all local, including York Railway Institute Band, the Community Chorus of Haxby & Wigginton, folk singer songwriter Stan Graham, formerly a Lieutenant Colonel and soloist Jessa Liversidge, and with Dr David Lancaster the director of music.

"Uniformed cadets from all three services will parade, along with a collection of Royal British Legion Standards," she said.

For many years, the festival was staged at York Barbican but it has moved to a series of different venues in recent years, taking place at Central Methodist Church in St Saviourgate last year after a year's absence because of the pandemic.

Sandie said it was moved to different venues to enable new audiences to join it, and she was delighted for it to be hosted by St Peter’s School in Clifton this year.

The festival of song and music starts at 3pm, and tickets costing £5 are available from the Joseph Rowntree Theatre box office from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Saturday, or by calling 01904 501935.

Denise Edgar, President of the York Branch of The Royal British Legion, said this year's Poppy Appeal was launched by The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr David Carr, at The Mansion House last Friday.

She said the Garden of Remembrance, situated near York Minster in Duncombe Place, would be officially opened at 10.30am on Saturday.

There would be a Remembrance ceremony at 10.45am at the Railway War Memorial in Station Rise next Friday, November 11 and then the city's Remembrance Sunday Civic Service would take place at 11am next Sunday, November 13, in the City's Memorial Gardens, following a parade through the city centre.

A legion spokesperson said: "As we pay tribute to those who have served and sacrificed during Remembrance this year, we hope you will show your support to all our amazing Poppy Appeal collectors in your local communities. 

"Without our partners, volunteers and without you, we wouldn't be able to continue supporting serving and ex- serving men and women, and their families."