HUNDREDS of children of Armed Forces’ personnel gathered in Ripon Cathedral to celebrate their unique lives.

A service on the theme of new beginnings was held to support and welcome some 1,000 youngsters who have moved to North Yorkshire with their families this year as a result of major basing changes in the Army.

The service also provided an opportunity for children of military families already living in the county to come together in solidarity to celebrate the diversity that service pupils bring to schools and communities.

Service children and young people from more than 30 schools attended and joined in with spoken and musical contributions at the cathedral. Senior figures from the military, civic and education communities were also there.

The schools are members of HMS - Her Majesty’s School - Heroes, a pupil-led organisation supported by the Royal British Legion, which gives young people a voice and helps to raise the profile of service children and explain the challenges that go hand-in-hand with being part of a military family.

A high degree of troop mobility is taking place through to 2017 with the influx of over 1,000 service children into the county as armed forces personnel return due to the drawdown of troops from Germany.

In addition, as part of a wider army re-basing plan, the Light Dragoons regiment have been moved from Norfolk to Catterick. The major logistical initiatives come on top of the normal movement of regimental units into Catterick and out to postings overseas, particularly Cyprus.

For individual schools that has resulted in significant number of new starters this term. At Le Cateau primary, Catterick, for example, there has been an increase of 100 children into the school since the summer.