ON HIS recent visit to the Isle of Wight, Prince Michael of Kent commemorated the centenary of Sandown War Memorial.

There he was welcomed by Sandown Mayor Paddy Lightfoot, IW Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon, and IW High Sheriff James Attrill.

Prince Michael also met Mark Birch, operations manager of the Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat, and volunteer crew members, and received a special knitted memento of his visit to Sandown.

IW Royal British Legion president Ian Ward introduced Bill Wyke and Sally McConkey, descendants of service personnel named on the memorial, as well as Island Roads' employee Kenny Snudden, who tends the area around the memorial, and Stuart Kent, bugler from Sandown and Shanklin Military Band.

The visit was completed by meeting representatives and pupils from the Bay CE Primary, who gave Prince Michael a set of mugs specially designed by pupils.

Prince Michael then visited the Broadway Centre and presented the Queens Award for Voluntary Service to volunteers from the Community Bus Service.

Cllr Lightfoot said: "The town council have funded special commemorative troughs for the memorial, which Green Town Volunteers have planted, and renovated the memorial for the centenary, a fitting tribute for the sacrifices for those named on the memorial and their descendants."

The town council also worked with the local church to arrange a special church service on Sunday, July 25, exactly 100 years to the day the memorial was unveiled.

Cllr Lightfoot said: "The service paid tribute to those lost during the pandemic, and also provided an opportunity to reflect on the VE and VJ Day 75th anniversaries that were affected by Covid guidance in 2020, and we hope this year’s Remembrance Day event will go ahead safely, as we know how important this is to local residents."

The town council carried out public surveys at the beginning of the year, with residents supporting arranging commemorative events for the centenary of the memorial.