Petition calling for Cleethorpes to host the 2026 National Armed Forces Day being put forward
If successful the event would return to the area for the second time since 2016
Defence Secretary John Healey has visited Cleethorpes and expressed enthusiasm to receive personally at the Ministry of Defence a petition for the resort to host National Armed Forces Day in 2026.
Melanie Onn MP (Labour – Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes) welcomed the Defence Secretary on Friday, May 9th, and Mr Healey met a number of local veterans. He spent the evening speaking to several, and was seated at Ms Onn’s gala dinner alongside NEL4 Heroes representatives, an organisation dedicated to supporting veterans in North East Lincolnshire.
NEL4Heroes helps ex-service personnel re-engage with civilian life, with opportunities to socialise, build community connections, and access peer support. It also supports veterans’ families, providing help with housing, health, and a wide range of other challenges.
Mr Healey gave a speech at the event and during it, acknowledged Ms Onn’s petition to bring National Armed Forces Day back to Cleethorpes in 2026. It would be ten years since Cleethorpes last hosted the event, in 2016.
Mr Healey confirmed he would be delighted to receive the petition personally at the Ministry of Defence and encouraged the idea of a local delegation of veterans delivering it in person. The dinner also saw a performance from 12- and 9-year-old violinists and singers, Maria-Theresa and Francesca Da’ Silva.
“It was a real pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State to Cleethorpes,” said Ms Onn. “His visit meant a great deal to the veterans’ community here, many of whom have given so much.
“I was really encouraged by the Secretary of State’s warm response to our petition for Cleethorpes to host National Armed Forces Day again. We put on an incredible show back in 2016, and our community has never stopped supporting our armed forces. It would be a fitting tribute to host the event again in 2026 — ten years on.”
Ms Onn has previously also pressed the case in Parliament for Cleethorpes to host the event next year.