Gravesend and Dartford parades set to celebrate St George’s Day

Parades of schoolchildren, brass bands and a fire-breathing dragon are among the many events set to take place across the South East to celebrate St George’s Day.

Pupils from 23 schools are set to parade in Gravesend and Dartford with themed shields and signs made during lessons in recent weeks.

Gurvinder Sandher, artistic director of Gravesend arts organisation Cohesion Plus, said he hoped the local community would “come out and wave the flag of St George with pride”.

Elsewhere, the Royal Sussex Regimental Association will host its St George’s Day service at Chichester Cathedral.

The service in the Regimental Chapel will include a commemoration of the regiment’s last overseas deployment to Aden in 1965.

Several pubs across Kent have also organised celebrations and Swanley Town Council has organised activities in its town centre for Saturday.

St George is the patron saint of England, and is known in legend for slaying a dragon and rescuing an innocent maiden from death.