A County United in Support: Armed Forces Day 2026 Celebrated Across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough came together in force to mark Armed Forces Day 2026, with events across the county demonstrating widespread support for serving personnel, reservists, veterans, cadets and military families.

From city-centre celebrations and civic ceremonies to community gatherings led by local volunteers and the Royal British Legion, Armed Forces Day brought people of all ages together to recognise the contribution of the Armed Forces community, past and present.

Events and activities took place across Cambridge City, St Neots, Ely, Peterborough, Huntingdon, Fordham Royal British Legion, Yaxley and Whittlesey, creating a strong programme of local commemorations and celebrations across the area.

In Cambridge City, Armed Forces Day provided an important opportunity for residents and civic representatives to show their appreciation for the Armed Forces community and recognise the close links between the city, the wider county and those who serve or have served.

St Neots also played its part in the celebrations, with the local community coming together to demonstrate its support for serving personnel, veterans and their families. The event reflected the town’s strong community spirit and ensured the contribution and sacrifices of the Armed Forces remained at the heart of the day.

In Ely, hundreds of residents and visitors gathered for the city’s fifth annual Armed Forces Day celebration. The event brought together stalls, entertainment and activities in a day combining celebration, reflection and support for the Armed Forces. The strong turnout underlined how firmly the event has become established in the city’s annual calendar.

Peterborough hosted one of the area’s largest celebrations, with a free family event in Cathedral Square. A civic parade opened proceedings, followed by live music, stage entertainment and a variety of activities and attractions. The event celebrated the Armed Forces past, present and future and brought the city centre to life with a visible show of public support.

Huntingdon marked the occasion with its own local activities, bringing residents together to recognise the service of Armed Forces personnel and veterans and to celebrate the area’s longstanding military connections.

Community-led events were equally important to the success of Armed Forces Day across the county. At Fordham Royal British Legion, the occasion provided a focal point for local people to gather, reflect and celebrate, highlighting the vital role played by Royal British Legion branches in supporting veterans, serving personnel and their families throughout the year.

Whittlesey also proudly marked Armed Forces Day, adding its voice to the county-wide celebrations and recognising the contribution made by serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets and military families.

In Yaxley, the community came together for an Armed Forces Day celebration supported by the local Royal British Legion, while Whittlesey also marked the occasion with local activity recognising the contribution of the Armed Forces community.

Taken together, the events across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough demonstrated the strength of local support for the Armed Forces. Large civic celebrations sat alongside smaller community-led gatherings, but each shared the same purpose: to recognise service, remember sacrifice and strengthen connections between the Armed Forces and the communities they serve.

The success of Armed Forces Day 2026 also reflected the work of councils, volunteers, veterans’ organisations, cadet forces, community groups, charities, performers, businesses and residents who helped organise and support events across the area.

The celebrations formed part of Armed Forces Week, a national opportunity to recognise serving personnel, reservists, veterans, cadets and military families, while raising awareness of the contribution they make to communities across the country.

A significant moment came at the Peterborough event, where Peterborough City Council signed the Armed Forces Covenant, reinforcing its commitment to the Armed Forces community and ensuring that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated with fairness and respect.

The signing provided a fitting conclusion to a highly successful programme of events across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and sent a clear message that support for the Armed Forces community extends far beyond a single day of celebration.