Sir.–For many years I have attended the Remembrance Service and the Holocaust Remembrance Day in the War Memorial Park. During this time, there have been many poignant and special moments.

This year “the special moment” for me came in a totally unexpected way. The Basingstoke Amateur Operatic Society is celebrating its 90th year, and the society decided to introduce a series of new initiatives.

They obtained a grant from the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council New Initiatives Fund and secured the services of the professional actor Peter Polycarpou. He agreed to do two days of workshops for youngsters who are interested in musical theatre.

The workshops were held in Fairfields Arts Centre and at 5pm on the Sunday (Remembrance Day), there was a half-hour show for family and friends.

The young people performed excerpts from many West End musicals and were awarded at the end by riotous applause from their families and the adult members of BAOS.

The youngsters then left the stage and we were all just about to leave, when a lovely, young girl entered stage left and a fine, young man entered stage right. They slowly and very carefully placed a chair in the middle of the stage area and in an almost balletic way, the young girl placed a single poppy on the chair.

They stood silently and bowed their heads for a few minutes. Then they turned around and quietly walked out to hushed silence – leaving the poppy on the chair. I have often heard the phrase “there was not a dry eye in the house” and now I know what it really means!

–Hannah Williams, Crossborough Hill, Basingstoke.