A former RAF nurse and her dad will be joining the march-past at the Cenotaph in an emotional tribute. Helen Sirrell, of Metheringham, and her dad Malcolm Scott, who also served in the RAF, will be joining 10,000 others from the veteran community at the Cenotaph Parade in London this weekend.
On Sunday, November 9, the duo will be in the capital to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Helen, 40, said: “As the nation remembers the fallen, I’m asking the public to join me in making a promise to today’s veterans and their families – so every person who serves knows they will be supported when their service ends.”
Helen and Malcolm, 65, are part of a group of about 50 veterans, carers, and staff from Help for Heroes, who will pay tribute to fallen comrades. She added: “My whole life has been around the military.
“There have been many people that I have loved and lost during my career as a nurse and within the military family. Remembrance has always been and will always be an important time for me, a time to reflect and a time to remember those who have passed, but also a time to say thank you to those who have served and continue to serve.
“Everyone who served deserves to be remembered – and today’s veterans need to know the society still values them.” Helen trained as a nurse in Inverness before qualifying in 2005 and going on to join the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service.
Helen was posted to Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit Peterborough, RAF Honington and RAF Lossiemouth. After she was medically discharged in 2011, Helen made the decision to move to Lincolnshire and start a family.
It was in 2024 that she joined Help for Heroes, where she is now a veterans’ clinical advisor. She will be wearing an RAF nursing hat, lent to her by one of the female ex-service women she supports during the parade.
Helen added: “To be at the Cenotaph with my Dad will be incredibly special for us both. I am sure there will be a few tears on the day, but I am so grateful to be getting the opportunity to march. To be able to do it with my Dad is very special.”
Rob Marston, services director for Help for Heroes added: “As we join the nation to commemorate the men and women who lost their lives while serving our country, Help for Heroes also remembers those still fighting their own battles today.
“We remain at the side of veterans and their families who are struggling with painful injuries, mental trauma, isolation, and more – providing life-changing support for as long as it takes. That’s why it’s more important than ever that the public makes a promise to stand alongside our veterans to ensure they get the support they deserve.”
The charity is experiencing continued support, and claims that every day five people leave the Armed Forces because of injury or illness, and that 40 per cent of medically discharged veterans feel unprepared for civilian life. Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps people live well after service, offering support to veterans from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves.
