Every November, as the leaves fall and the mornings turn crisp, a gentle change settles over our communities. Poppies appear on coats and lapels, and voices soften. Together, we pause to remember.

On Armistice Day, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we are asked to be still and to think of those who never came home. They were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and neighbours, with plans and laughter and people who loved them dearly. Many were barely out of school. They gave everything so that we could live in freedom, and no words can fully repay that gift. But our silence, heartfelt and shared, is a beautiful way to say thank you.

Remembrance is not only about the past. Around the world today, men and women in uniform stand ready to keep us safe, often far from the people they love. Behind every one of them is a family waiting at home, holding their breath and counting the days. To them all, we send our deepest gratitude.

We are lucky, too, to have such dedicated people right on our doorstep. The Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone shapes young recruits into some of the most resilient servicemen and women in the world. Alongside them are the instructors, medics, families, veterans and volunteers who support our armed forces community. Many of us know someone connected to them, and we are enormously proud of what they do.

This is why the poppy matters so much. Worn close to the heart, it is small and humble, yet it says: we remember, and we are grateful. It also supports the veterans and families who still need a helping hand long after the fighting has ended. Every poppy is a quiet promise that they will never be forgotten.

That promise lives on only if we share it. Our children and grandchildren may never meet those who served in the great wars, so it is up to us to tell their stories gently and with love. Explaining why we wear poppies and why we stand in silence helps young people understand that freedom was won by real people, and that gratitude is something we can all practise.

That is why it fills us with such pride to share our branch windows with remembrance displays made by pupils from our local primary schools. Their paintings, poppies and handwritten messages are among the most touching things we display all year. Through a child's eyes, remembrance feels honest and hopeful, and every carefully coloured poppy tells us the next generation is listening. Thank you to the pupils, teachers and parents who give their time so generously.

This Armistice Day, please wear your poppy, share the silence, and talk with someone younger about what it means. Do pop in and see our windows if you can.

To everyone who has served, who serves now, and who waits at home for someone to return: thank you, from all of us.