Proud day as King's Lynn charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers takes part in national Remembrance event
It was a day to remember for a Lynn-based charity as its founder and a group of children it supports marched past the Cenotaph on Sunday.
Nikki Scott, who founded Scotty’s Little Soldiers in 2010, accompanied 18 bereaved children as they took part in the national Remembrance Sunday parade in London – marking the charity’s first time at the event.
The service was broadcast live on BBC One and included a pre-recorded interview with Nikki, who spoke about setting up the national charity to support children of the fallen after her husband, and father to her two children, Corporal Lee Scott was killed in Afghanistan in 2009.
The group of children, along with their widowed parents and Nikki, could also be seen marching in their yellow and black stripy scarves.
Nikki said: “It was an emotional day for the children who were all there remembering a lost parent who is dearly missed, but it was a huge honour for them to be part of such a special day.
“The Scotty members all feel part of a community and being there together meant a lot to them. We all wore yellow and black scarves – the colours of Lee’s regiment – to show we are all united.”
After the Remembrance parade, the children were given a tour of the House of Commons, and then visited Downing Street, where they were photographed on the steps of Number 10.
Nikki said the charity wanted to give the children a “special treat” after the march past the Cenotaph and the trip to the House of Commons and Number 10 helped to make it “an unforgettable day”.
Among the 18 children was Joseph Every, 8, from Marham whose mother was in the RAF and died from illness.
Also taking part in the day’s events were Kate Darbyshire, mother to Ryan, 15, and Callum, 13.
Her husband and father to her children Sergeant Steven Darbyshire was shot in Afghanistan in 2010.
She said: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to have walked and been part of the service of Remembrance in London with Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
“Emotional, proud, overwhelming, happy – a total rollercoaster of emotions, but an experience we will never forget, followed by a visit to the House of Commons and Downing Street.
“Thank you to Nikki Scott for giving us this opportunity.”
Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which will mark its 10th anniversary next year, currently supports 397 bereaved Forces children across the UK.
l To learn more about Scotty’s Little Soldiers, visit www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk.
