Armed Forces Day Spectacular a fitting celebration

Carla Lockhart MP • June 20, 2022

Speaking at the Armed Forces Day event in Banbridge on Saturday, DUP MP Carla Lockhart has praised the organisers for a highly successful event, and paid tribute to the ongoing contribution of our armed forces to our nation.

Carla Lockhart said:


“This has been a fantastic day in Banbridge, with thousands of people descending upon the town to honour our armed forces community.


I want to pay credit to our local Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council for hosting this spectacular and for all the various community participants, not least Banbridge Rugby Club for opening their grounds to facilitate this wonderful community event.


This truly was a day that catered for all ages, and it was great to see so many people young and old enjoying the music, not least from the wonderful Band of the Royal Irish Regiment accompanied by bugles, pipes and drums of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish. The Park was awash with colour and of course the famous Red Arrows filled the skies above us with red, white and blue as part of their dynamic display.


Our Armed Forces do so much for our nation, and Armed Forces Day is a day when the community can celebrate this contribution and show our support for our Armed Forces personnel. I know from speaking to some of those service men and women who attended that this is a special day for them, and that makes it all worthwhile.”

Share

Lockhart Warns Government Action Needed as Pressure Mounts Across Key Industries

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 11, 2026
DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has issued a stark warning to the UK Government, urging immediate action to support key sectors as pressure continues to build across agriculture, construction and haulage.

Farm tax reforms a betrayal of UK agriculture

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 10, 2026
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has accused the Labour Government of betraying the UK’s agricultural industry and generations of farmers who work tirelessly to feed the nation.

Farmers must not be burdened by unjustified bureaucracy under guise of sustainability

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 10, 2026
DUP Agriculture spokesperson, Carla Lockhart MP, has said that farmers must not be burdened with unjustified bureaucracy under the guise of sustainability, warning that current carbon auditing proposals risk undermining confidence across the NI agri-food sector.

Lockhart Welcomes Investment as Oggies Dessert Bar Reopens in Banbridge

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 8, 2026
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has welcomed the reopening of Oggies Dessert Bar in Banbridge following a significant refurbishment, praising the business as a key contributor to the local economy.

Lockhart Welcomes Strong Increase in Banbridge Donations for Evora Hospice

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 8, 2026
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has welcomed a significant increase in donations from Banbridge as part of this year’s Big Bucket Collection in support of Evora Hospice.

New IRA violence will be rejected just as it was before

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 3, 2026
DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has strongly condemned the latest incident in Lurgan, in which the so-called New IRA has admitted responsibility for a proxy bomb attack targeting a pizza delivery driver and the PSNI.

MP calling for EU to pause Mercosur deal until legal process is concluded

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 2, 2026
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has criticised the European Commission’s decision to press ahead with the provisional application of the Mercosur trade agreement from 1st May 2026, despite the fact it remains subject to ongoing legal scrutiny.

MP urging farmers to oppose revenue-raising gun tax

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 2, 2026
Department of Justice proposals to raise firearms licensing fees by up to 153% have been heavily criticised by Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart.

Lockhart Renews Call for Urgent Expansion of Bowel Screening Services

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 1, 2026
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has renewed her call for urgent action to expand bowel cancer screening services in Northern Ireland, following recent intervention from Banbridge GP, Dr Jonny Dillon.

Lockhart Marks Purple Day and Encourages Greater Awareness of Epilepsy

By Carla Lockhart MP • April 1, 2026
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has marked Purple Day, the international awareness day for epilepsy, by encouraging people across the community to learn more about the condition and how to respond in an emergency.