At 11am on Saturday 11th the Mayor and Mayoress, alongside the other town councillors, will assemble at the War Memorial to commemorate the British war dead of the two world wars and the other conflicts Britain has been involved in since. As ever a number of Lewesians will make their way to the site to pay their respects. And so we should. Many will be wearing the red poppies sold by the British Legion, an organisation which supports millions who are serving and have served in the British Armed Forces. The sale of the poppies is the organisation’s major fund-raiser and proceeds go to over 10 million servicemen past and present and their families. We believe that our thoughts should go further afield, as well. War has never been clear cut, and we believe that if you do stop what you are doing for two minutes on Saturday morning, your thoughts should go to all the victims of war, all the servicemen and women and all the civilians whose lives have been ended or tainted by conflict. And to all those that will be in the future, too. As we write this the inability of mankind to deal with its problems through peaceful means persists and men, women and children continue to die in the name of sovereignty or politics or religion or in the pursuit of wealth for the people who run their country. We appreciate the sacrifice that the British Armed Forces have made in the name of Monarch and Country, though we do not always believe in the governmental decisions that have led to the bloodshed in question. We believe, fundamentally, in peace, and will be dedicating the two minutes of silence to the hope for a future that is full of that precious entity. Enjoy the week.