With ANZAC Day fast approaching, people across New England are reminded they can still commemorate the occasion, despite there being no public events. Acting President of RSL NSW, Ray James, said there’s no doubt that ANZAC Day 2020 will be very different from previous years.
"While we will not be gathering at services or marches, there are still many ways to acknowledge ANZAC Day and ensure Australian servicemen and women are appropriately remembered," he said.
“Traditional dawn services and marches are just not possible this year, but as with all other Australians right now, we have to change the way we do things, evolve and make the best of our situation.
"Nothing can ever take away the importance of ANZAC Day or our values of mateship and camaraderie as we honour our service personnel and show our ANZAC Spirit.”
Mr James said now is the time for everyone to show our ANZAC Spirit, including ingenuity, and we welcome the many and varied ideas that have been embraced by the community.
He added that any activity that respectfully shows commemoration and thanks is most welcome.
“This year, as we cannot come together in person, these activities alongside the many other community-generated initiatives are all ways we can come together in our time of commemoration," he said.
Ways You Can Commemorate ANZAC Day 2020
Be part of the Community Ode – Record a video of yourself reciting The Ode or sharing a message of support for veterans on your social media.
Light up the dawn at 6am on ANZAC Day. Go to the end of your driveway, stand on your balcony or in your lounge room and listen to a brief commemorative service.
Tune into live services and virtual commemorative services. This includes the 5.30am service from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. There will also be a 10am virtual streaming service from the Anzac Memorial in Sydney that will be broadcast live with more details to follow.
Reach out to a mate or veteran who might be alone. Many people are alone during this time of isolation. It’s an opportunity to invoke the ANZAC value of mateship and check to see how a mate is doing.
Donate to the ANZAC Appeal online at anzacappeal.com.au. Donations support Australian veterans and their families in need.