Councils, churches and community groups gathered virtually and at socially distanced memorial services across the Eastlondonlines boroughs on Sunday to honour fallen members of the armed services.

Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, Hackney organised an online celebration with local musicians and artists. Choir leader and educator Martina Schwarz curated the event which saw artists performing poetry readings and songs, ending with two minutes of silence at 11am.

To encourage people to adhere to the national lockdown, the Mayor of Croydon Maddie Henson hosted a Remembrance Sunday event on Facebook, led by the Vicar of Croydon, Father Andrew Bishop.

Tower Hamlets Council called on residents to mark Remembrance Sunday in “a way that protects the veteran community”, as the Council wrote on Twitter. They asked residents to disconnect from their laptops and phones for a two-minute silence in their homes or on their doorsteps.

Lewisham and New Cross opened their war memorials to visitors, as churches St Mary The Virgin, Lewisham and St John’s, Deptford live-streamed their Remembrance Sunday morning service. Throughout November, soldiers letters from ‘Love, Tommy’ by Andrew Roberts will be displayed in the windows of Broadway Theatre, Lewisham Library and Deptford Lounge community centre.

Meanwhile, red poppies could be seen all over East London, from tube stations to local shops.