Operation Candle Light - Remembering the fallen at Christmas

Project 71 (www.project71.co.uk), a humble group of volunteers who look after WW2 Veterans and Kaotic Angels LEMC have launched an initiative called Operation Candle Light. The objective is to place as many grave lights in Commonwealth War Grave Cemeteries on Christmas Eve 2022 as possible. This is a tradition that has taken place in the Netherlands since WW2, and we feel that now is the time to adopt this in the UK and other countries to remember the fallen - not only on Remembrance Day but at Christmas and throughout the year. This is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to pay respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom and way of life. It is also has the potential to become a huge community event that brings people together outside of our normal events of remembrance to reflect on the consequences of conflict.

We are recruiting an army of volunteers to help make this happen and light up as many graves as possible across the UK. We are looking for people to place a small tea light in the front of the headstones on Christmas Eve so the lights will glow until Boxing Day. Specific instructions can be found on the Project 71 Website under Operation Candle Light .These small battery-operated lights can be purchased in pound shops or online; £10 will buy 24 up to 24 lights. Information on Commonwealth Wargrave Cemeteries is found via their website or can be downloaded via the App

We are very much hoping that this new commemorative event for the UK captures the imagination of the general public as we think it has huge potential governed by the response from volunteers to date. We are looking forward to hearing from you.Project 71 is a small support group for WW2 Veterans based on the South Coast. We are not a huge group, we do not have celebrities supporting us and we don't have thousands of pounds in the bank, but with the support of the public we have achieved so much. This is just a few of our achievements in the past few years:

• We unblocked the system and got the Veterans Legion d'honneur awarded to them when they were lost in administration.

• We arranged a dinner for British and US Veterans and their families at Southwick House for the 75th anniversary of D Day.

• We arrange birthday parties and days out for our veterans

• We have supplied food packs throughout the Corona virus lock down to all our veterans that needed help

• We make home and hospital visits and do their shopping if they are alone.

• We have an annual reunion where they can bring their families to meet the team.• We are now rolling out iPads and training so they can keep in touch with their families easier.• We provide mobility scooters so they can retain their independence.• We placed a bench on the banks of the Rijn and a plaque and bench at the Zig Canal in the Netherlands in memory of two of our veterans that were part of Operation Market Garden• We have sponsored over 50 name bricks on the Normandy Wall at the D Day Museum is Southsea for the Normandy VeteransFor more on Project 71 visit www.project71.co.uk or contact Steve Shaw on 0782 333 1011 email [email protected]