It’s always moving watching the Remembrance Service on TV listening to the stories of those who have served and those who are left behind to grieve and mourn. I always think of the Poppy my gran used to put on a picture of her husband who died in the war, a simple act of Remembrance but such a potent reference when I was young. Every year I reflect on him, someone I never met, and also two young men, one a friend of my daughter, one a friend of my son. I didn’t know either of them personally but I think of the sacrifice they made and the pain felt by their parents and siblings, how hard it must be to be proud and devastated at the same time.

The parents of one of those young men, John Thornton, have set up a charitable foundation in his name and have already raised a huge amount through a variety of events. On Wednesday I’ll be going along to one of them,  Ladies Night at Haskins Garden Centre in Ferndown, with proceeds going to the charity. I am amazed at the strength and courage shown by his parents and we are honoured to have his brother Lt. Ian Thornton as one of the patrons of our Writing Prize, Words for the Wounded which was launched yesterday. Delighted to say that entries are already coming in.