3:45pm Thursday 11th March 2010
By Nicola Curtis
A iniative to show public support for serving troops has gained momentum after people Wootton Bassett began wearing red on Fridays.
The concept of Red Fridays was highlighted by businessman Brian Pickering, who used to be Air Dispatcher at RAF Lyneham.
Mr Pickering wanted to do use the town’s role in repatriation ceremonies to draw support to all military personnel.
At a revenue and resources meeting of the town council in January, Mr Pickering, managing director of Heather Moor & Edgecomb Limited in Lyneham, said: “I would like Wootton Bassett, by way of its shops and businesses, to be prepared to wear something visibly red on Fridays.”
Since then, Mr Pickering has visited Wootton Bassett with councillor Chris Wannell to try and spread the word.
They have handed out leaflets to those interested and told people about the way they can show a silent support for troops just by changing what they wear.
He said: “I am making it clear to people that there are three situations for people affected – via the repatriations, amputees and service people who are serving overseas.
“There have been quite a lot of people wearing red in Wootton Bassett.
“What we want to get across is that we want this to happen every single Friday.”
When the pair visited the High Street, many shops and residents threw their support behind the scheme.
Coun Wannell said: “I’m very pleased with it and there are a number of shops whose staff were wearing something red or had something red on them.
“We want to push it forward and want it to go across the whole country. I think it will catch on.”
A spokesperson from Haine and Smith opticians in the High Street said: “We will try to wear red when we can and our worker Edward Giles has been spraying his hair red on Fridays.”
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