Courtesy Barrhead News

PROUD former military servicemen and women are still braced for news about their Armistice Day parade.

Organisers at the United Services Club spoke out amid fears funding may be withdrawn for the Remembrance Day Parade honouring the town's war dead

The club has marched from their HQ in the town's Paisley Road to Barrhead Head war memorial at Cowan Park for more than 20 years every Remembrance Sunday

Dwindling attendances have led to concern about the financial viability of the march, as reported in the News

However, USC members and officials from East Renfrewshire Council hit back at the claims, saying no decision has been taken over the future of the march, though members had considered different ways of marking Armistice Day

In a letter to the Barrhead News, former Barrhead Councillor Douglas Yates, said: "No council decision has ever been taken to stop the annual Armistice Day march from United Services Club to the Cenotaph in Cowan Park and I know this subject has never been raised

"From memory, discounting the Pipe Band and the Army Cadet Force, only about a dozen men marched last year

"That said, there is always a decent turn-out at the memorial service at the Cenotaph itself, so it's evident that it suits most people to go direct to Cowan Park rather than march from the USC

Given that the council has a responsibility to apply to march and liaise with the police regarding the event, a condition placed upon the council is that a steward is provided for every ten people marching

Volunteers to steward have been like hen's teeth in recent years." United Service Club President Tommy McBride said: "To date no information has been received regarding the format of the 2012 Remembrance Sunday march as officially no contact has been made by East Renfrewshire Council to have a meeting

The subject of the march was part of the Agenda for the United Services Club AGM." Mr McBride explained the council have supported the club for over 20 years and had made contributions towards the march during this time

A Royal British Legion spokesman told the News last month the council would be "abandoning its civic duty" if the march was to be

Has big Duggie returned as a Community Activist.

Why on earth do they need funding to march? Is it for policing or for something else?
Surely it can be organised without involvement of ERC?

Billy wrote:


I believe he is a consultant now - he's been working hard on his Linkedin profile (Facebook for business). I know he got a lot of abuse from us, but he was well respected across the political spectrum - especially compared to his SNP Barrhead replacement.