Welcome to the Bishop's Stortford Branch of The Royal British Legion

Armed Forces Day Event 2026 Photo Gallery

Armed Forces Day Bishop's Stortford 27 June 2026

See full event photo gallery below the article. 📷 Photos: Jacqueline Gething

The Community Marked Armed Forces Day 2026 with a Special Event in Bishop's Stortford

27 June 2026

After organising many Armed Forces Day parades in the past, this year’s Armed Forces Day event was a change in format for us with local cadets, military themed stands, emergency service vehicles and Ben Hardy’s Dunkirk Spirit Exhibition setting up in Castle Park before the Service of Thanksgiving.

The service was presided over by our Branch President, John B Robinson, accompanied by Rev'd Tim Weeks who delivered a very fitting and personal tribute to our Armed Forces, their families, veterans, cadets, and the emergency services.

Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Emma Robarts, came along with dignitaries from all over Hertfordshire. We were delighted to receive a letter of thanks from the Defence Secretary, Dan Jarvis, presented by our Member of Parliament, Mr. Josh Dean, who also paid tribute to our Armed Forces.

The following quote from the Indie photographer sums up the day:

"I arrived expecting to photograph Armed Forces Day, I left thinking about the Town. Three old friends sitting together in the shade....a young boy proudly showing veterans the project he'd made about Dunkirk......volunteers checking everyone was alright......families finding a place to sit together.
The ceremony mattered of course, but so did everything around it. Sometimes we talk about community as though it's an idea, it isn't. It's people turning up for one another, giving their time, sharing their stories, listening and saying thank you. Looking back that's what I remember most, not just an event in Castle Park but a Town taking a few hours out of its day to recognise those who serve and to spend time together...to me that's what community looks like."

We are grateful to Bishop's Stortford Town Council for funding the event, all those who gave their time, advice and support along the way, and our photographer Jacqueline Gething.

Photo Gallery

📷 Photos: Jacqueline Gething

Photo left to right: Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer; Phil Hare, RBL Buntingford Branch Chairman; Paul Vile, Hertfordshire County Chair; John B Robinson, Bishop's Stortford Branch President; Cllr Duncan Wallace, Buntingford Mayor; Mr Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford; Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire; Cllr Martin Adams, Bishop’s Stortford Town Mayor; Cllr John Dunlop, Chairman of East Herts District Council; Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council; Lieutenant Colonel David Walker; Denise Hudson, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Chair; Rev'd Tim Weeks

Branch President, John B Robinson

Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer

Paul Vile, Hertfordshire County Chairman RBL

Hertfordshire County Chairman badge

Heidi Barden, Deputy Poppy Appeal Organiser

Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer

Veteran Ernie Large

Denise Hudson, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Chair and Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Lieutenant Colonel David Walker and Cllr John Dunlop, Chairman of East Herts District Council

Front row left to right: Lieutenant Colonel David Walker, Cllr John Dunlop Chairman of East Herts District Council, Cllr Jeff Jones Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council, Cllr Martin Adams Mayor of Bishop's Stortford, Josh Dean MP for Hertford and Stortford, Emma Robarts Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer

Rev'd Tim Weeks

Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer

Rev'd Tim Weeks

Armed Forces Day event attendees

Rev'd Tim Weeks

Armed Forces Day event attendees

Bishop's Stortford Army Cadets

Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford with Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Lieutenant Colonel David Walker

Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council

Cllr Martin Adams, Bishop’s Stortford Town Mayor

Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford

Armed Forces Day in Bishop's Stortford

Armed Forces Day event attendees

Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer

Left to right: Lieutenant Colonel David Walker, Cllr John Dunlop Chairman of East Herts District Council, Cllr Jeff Jones Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council, Cllr Martin Adams Mayor of Bishop's Stortford, Josh Dean MP for Hertford and Stortford, Emma Robarts Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire

Cllr Richard Townsend

Bishop's Stortford Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club

Sergeant Alison Mitchell, Bishop's Stortford Army Cadets

Bishop's Stortford Army Cadets Leader

Armed Forces Day event attendees

Royal British Legion Bishop's Stortford Branch stall

Bishop's Stortford Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club

Josh Dean MP for Hertford and Stortford

Armed Forces Day event attendees

BID Street Steward

Josh Dean MP for Hertford and Stortford

Armed Forces Day event attendees

Left to right: Phil Hare, RBL Buntingford Branch Chairman; Paul Vile, Hertfordshire County Chair; Cllr Duncan Wallace, Buntingford Mayor; Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer; John B Robinson, Bishop's Stortford Branch President; Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire; Mr Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford; Cllr John Dunlop, Chairman of East Herts District Council; Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council; Cllr Martin Adams, Bishop’s Stortford Town Mayor; Denise Hudson, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Chair

Left to right: Zoe Maidment, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Standard Bearer; Phil Hare, RBL Buntingford Branch Chairman; Paul Vile, Hertfordshire County Chair; John B Robinson, Bishop's Stortford Branch President; Cllr Duncan Wallace, Buntingford Mayor; Mr Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford; Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire; Cllr Martin Adams, Bishop’s Stortford Town Mayor; Cllr John Dunlop, Chairman of East Herts District Council; Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council; Lieutenant Colonel David Walker; Rev'd Tim Weeks

Left to right: John B Robinson, Bishop's Stortford Branch President; Cllr Duncan Wallace, Buntingford Mayor; Mr Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford; Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire; Cllr Martin Adams, Bishop’s Stortford Town Mayor; Cllr John Dunlop, Chairman of East Herts District Council; Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council; Lieutenant Colonel David Walker

Left to right: Phil Hare, RBL Buntingford Branch Chairman; Paul Vile, Hertfordshire County Chair; Cllr Duncan Wallace, Buntingford Mayor; John B Robinson, Bishop's Stortford Branch President; Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire; Mr Josh Dean, MP for Hertford and Stortford; Cllr John Dunlop, Chairman of East Herts District Council; Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council; Cllr Martin Adams, Bishop’s Stortford Town Mayor; Denise Hudson, Bishop’s Stortford Branch Chair

Left to right: Rev'd Tim Weeks; Emma Robarts, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire; Kathy Stanes; John B Robinson, Bishop's Stortford Branch President; Lieutenant Colonel David Walker

Lieutenant Colonel David Walker, Emma Robarts Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Josh Dean MP

Josh Dean MP for Hertford and Stortford hands a letter from Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis to John Robinson congratulating the branch on the event

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Ben Hardy and his multi-sensory Dunkirk exhibition

Ben Hardy and his multi-sensory Dunkirk exhibition

Ben Hardy, John Robinson and Emma Robarts

Cllr Jeff Jones, Honorary Alderman Hertfordshire County Council; Ben Hardy; Phil Hare, RBL Buntingford Branch Chairman

Ben's Grandmother, Ben Hardy, Lieutenant Colonel David Walker

Ben Hardy's Grandmother with Lieutenant Colonel David Walker

Ben Hardy's multi-sensory Dunkirk exhibition

Paper boats sent to Ben Hardy from all over the world representing the Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed "Operation Dynamo" or "Miracle of Dunkirk". More than 338,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk in northern France between 26 May and 4 June 1940

Lieutenant Colonel David Walker and Ben Hardy

Lieutenant Colonel David Walker, Ben Hardy's mum, Liz, and Ben

Ben Hardy's multi-sensory Dunkirk exhibition complete with smells of the 1940s including German U-boat, The Blitz, Street at War and Washday Carbolic Soap

Ben Hardy's multi-sensory Dunkirk exhibition

Ben Hardy and his mum, Liz

Ben Hardy, his mum Liz, and friends

Hand painted pebbles from Ben Hardy's multi-sensory Dunkirk exhibition. A selection of the pebbles were laid at the War Memorial by Ben and his friends