Lowering the flag on 20 years of dedication (From Ledbury Reporter)

Lowering the flag on 20 years of dedication

9:00am Friday 4th May 2012 in News

AFTER more than two decades of putting up flags for Ledbury Town Council as a volunteer, old soldier Cyril May has decided to step down from his duties, aged 87.

Mr May, of Queen’s Way, said he had really enjoyed his time as the man in charge of Ledbury’s flagpoles, which are situated in the High Street, close to the War Memorial.

He prides himself on being the oldest current member of the Ledbury branch of the Royal British Legion, having first joined in 1946.

It was his service to the Legion that led him to volunteer as Ledbury’s flagman more than twenty years ago.

Mr May, who saw active service as a private in Burma, during the Second World War, said: “The legion asked me to be a standard bearer for Armistice Day and while I was there I noticed that no flag was flying in the town centre.”

He made enquries at the town council offices in Church Lane, and was told that several Union flags had been stolen from the town’s flagpole.

There and then, the retired builder offered to hoist and lower flags for the town, and to look after them while they were not in use.

In his time, Mr May has hoisted a wide variety of flags, from the Union flag to the Ledbury and Stromstad Twinning Association Flag.

Now the council is looking for someone just as keen and as dedicated to step into Mr May’s shoes.

The council will be sending an official letter of thanks to Mr May and former mayor Clive Jupp said: “His service to the town has been invaluable."