On Sunday 9 November 2025, members of the Freedom Fountain team joined the city’s civic and community leaders for the annual Remembrance Sunday Service on Hills Road, Cambridge — an occasion that brought together residents, veterans, and representatives of the Armed Forces in solemn reflection and unity.
The ceremony, led by Revd Imogen Nay of St Paul’s, Hills Road, began with the traditional march to the war memorial at 10:35 a.m., led by Cllr Russ McPherson on bagpipes and including the Regular and Reserve Armed Forces, Cadets, Scouts, Guides, and veterans. Just before 11 a.m., the city fell silent for two minutes to remember those who gave their lives in service to peace and freedom.
The Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Diana Pounds, was joined by the Deputy Lieutenant, Mr James Hutt, Daniel Zeichner MP, Cllr Cameron Holloway, Leader of Cambridge City Council, Cllr Peter McDonald, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council, the Chief Constable Simon Megicks, and representatives from the Royal British Legion, Cambridge University, Anglia Ruskin University, and local faith communities.
(See full coverage and photos: Cambridge Independent — In Pictures: Cambridge Falls Silent to Remember the Fallen)
Commonwealth Voices and Shared Remembrance
This years’ service held particular significance as part of the 80th anniversary year of the end of the Second World War, following the city’s VJ Day 80 service at Great St Mary’s in August.
Representing the Freedom Fountain Memorial Project, Abdul Kayum Arain, Piero D’Angelico, and Colleen McLaughlin Barlow were among those attending the ceremony on Hills Road, joining civic leaders, veterans, and members of the Armed Forces in remembrance.
At both the August and November services, Rotarian and community leader Mukesh Malhotra BEM BCAv PHF MSc CISM represented the Commonwealth contribution to the World Wars, reading at the VJ80 Commemoration and again on Remembrance Sunday.
Mukesh’s reading opened: “Today, on this special Remembrance Sunday, we gather in solemn remembrance of all who gave their lives in the service of peace and freedom over the past 80 years since VE and VJ Day. We honour the courage, sacrifice, and steadfast spirit of those who served in times of war and conflict, and we give thanks for the peace they helped secure”.
He continued with a Commonwealth Tribute, honouring the men and women who journeyed from across India, the Caribbean, Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond to serve in the Allied cause. Paying particular tribute to the 2.5 million soldiers of the Indian subcontinent, Mukesh said: “Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and others — standing shoulder to shoulder in courage and loyalty”.
Quoting Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore from Gitanjali, Mukesh concluded: “When I stand before thee at the day’s end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing”.
These words, echoed across the memorial, resonated with the mission of the Freedom Fountain — a living memorial that will honour the 4 million men of the United British Indian Army, whose courage and humanity transcended borders of faith and region.
Freedom Fountain: Continuing the Legacy of Remembrance
For the Freedom Fountain team, Remembrance Sunday reaffirmed why this memorial — now progressing through its design and planning phase — matters so deeply.
The forthcoming United British Indian Army War Memorial Fountain at Ditchburn Place, Mill Road, will stand as a sustainable and inclusive tribute to those who served. Its bronze Banyan Tree and paisley-shaped pond will symbolise endurance and unity, while its solar-powered water flow will ensure that remembrance continues in harmony with nature.
As outlined in our Design, Heritage, and Access Statement, the memorial honours the shared heritage that connects Cambridge to the Commonwealth — from those who fought in two world wars to those who helped rebuild Britain in peace.
“By fostering unity and remembrance through a shared historical and cultural narrative,” says project co-director Abdul Kayum Arain, “the Freedom Fountain will stand as a symbol of peace, gratitude, and hope for generations to come”.
As the City of Cambridge once again stood still in silence, the team reflected on how remembrance — like the fountain’s water — continues to flow: from the courage of those who served, through the gratitude of those who remember, into the hope of those who will carry the legacy forward.
📸 Explore more images from the day via the Cambridge Independent feature:
Cambridge Falls Silent to Remember the Fallen — In Pictures