Lest We Forget
Each November, I wear my poppy not as a decoration but as a declaration.
It marks my respect for those who served in the First and Second World Wars, and all the conflicts that have followed.
It shows my thanks and admiration to the men and women who stood between chaos and civilisation, who gave their youth, their peace and, in many cases, their lives.
Courage and sacrifice
The poppy is a symbol of sacrifice. It reminds us of trenches carved into foreign soil, of skies darkened by conflict and of letters sent home that never received a reply.
It speaks of courage under fire, of comradeship forged in adversity and of a generation that bore the weight of history so that ours could walk freely.
I wear my poppy with pride because I believe in legacy. The legacy of those who fought in the mud of the Somme, in the skies over Britain, on the beaches of Normandy and in every theatre where freedom was threatened. Their service was not abstract. It was personal, physical and absolute.
In Birmingham, remembrance runs deep. Our streets carry the names of those who served. Our families carry their stories. Our institutions carry the responsibility to honour them – not just in ceremony, but in conduct. Wearing the poppy is part of that duty.
A symbol of action, not passivity
This symbol is also a challenge. It asks us to live lives worthy of their sacrifice. To lead with integrity. To build with purpose. To remember that peace was bought at a price and that silence in the face of injustice is never an option.
I wear my poppy for the veterans who returned and rebuilt. For those who never came home. For the families who waited, mourned and carried on.
Their courage is not confined to history – it is the foundation of our present.
Remembrance is not passive. It is active, binding and generational. The poppy is not just worn. It is carried in our decisions, our leadership and our legacy.
Lest We Forget.
