An inspiring student whose father was killed while serving in Afghanistan addressed the nation during a live TV interview on Good Morning Britain.
Appearing alongside her mother Nikki, Thomas Clarkson Academy pupil Brooke Scott talked about her family’s well-known charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
The 11-year-old’s dad, Corporal Lee Scott, was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand Province in Afghanistan in 2009 when she was just a baby.
Brooke proudly spoke to presenters Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid about what Remembrance Day means for her, her family and those close by.
Brooke said: “For us, we remember my dad every day. I have a memory box and a drawer in my room with his things in, like an iPod which still has his music on, and lots of pictures on my wall.
“The charity does a lot throughout the year but we try and do even more around Remembrance Day because this is the time that everyone remembers.
“Remembrance Day means a lot to me because people stand and remember people like my dad and the sacrifice they have made to try and help other people have a good life.”
Brooke and Nikki joined Falklands hero Simon Weston and Dame Vera Lynn’s daughter Virginia Lewis-Jones on the early-morning breakfast show.
They were all backing a national newspaper’s campaign for people to stand on their doorsteps for a two-minute silence on November 11.
Speaking to The Mirror, Nikki said: “I love the idea. And especially for the children. We lost Lee 11 years ago and even after all that time I never know quite what to do round Remembrance Day.
“I think this could be a really powerful way of making sure no-one is forgotten.
“That’s the biggest thing for the kids - making sure their hero is still being remembered. All the sacrifices they made and everything they have been through.
“As a family we stood on the doorstep and applauded for the NHS. And that did two things: It gave us a feeling of pride and being part of something. But it also started us chatting about the whole subject.
“And I think the Mirror’s campaign will do the same. It’s a very emotional time and just to know there are people supporting us in remembering our lost heroes is something very important.”
For more information on Scotty’s Little Soldiers, visit: www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here