West Lothian’s traditional Remembrance Sunday events have been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The ongoing pandemic means many annual ceremonies, services and parades won’t now take place, although some features will move online so people can still pay their respects.
One of the biggest, in Livingston, will now be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
A spokesperson for Legion Scotland Livingston said: “As a result of the ongoing pandemic and increased restrictions, the branch committee have held a meeting and agreed unanimously to change our plans for this year’s Remembrance Sunday Service.
“This year’s service will now be pre-recorded and posted on our branch Facebook page and YouTube on Sunday.
“Whilst this is disappointing, we must ensure adherence to the Scottish Government guidelines, guidance from RBLS Head Office and the local authority, and last, but by no means least we must work together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all.
“We wold like to encourage everyone to mark the two-minute silence on their own doorstep, in their garden, or in their home.
“Have a picture taken of you paying respects or of your Remembrance activity and send it in to the Branch Secretary, Dave Cutler, who will collate the pictures into a short video which will be played out on our Branch Facebook page on Armistice Day.
“We may be apart and not able to mark Remembrance in the normal way, but we can certainly still pay our respects, just in a different way this year.”
In Bathgate, Remembrance events have been cancelled and there will be no service, parade or wreath laying at the monument.
Normally the event would see veterans parade through the streets of the town before attending a church service and gathering at the Royal British Legion.
Cameron McConnachie is chairman of the Bathgate branch of the British Legion and president of the club.
He said: “We have missed a lot of parades this year, including the 75th anniversary of VE Day which was a real shame.
“But we have been in Morrisons selling poppies and we’re encouraging people to download pictures of poppies that kids can colour in and put in their windows.
In Fauldhouse a live service will be streamed on at 1pm on social media via the Fauldhouse Today Facebook page. Individuals are encouraged to pay their respects and lay a wreath anytime throughout the day bearing in mind social distancing. For further information about the arrangements contact Craig Laird on 07974942703.
At the Linburn Centre in Wilkieston an activity hub for veterans with sight loss has been set up to mark Remembrance Day with an online service.
A streamed online service will be held on Wednesday, November 11.
Led by Reverend Ian Wells of Ratho Parish Church, there will be prerecorded readings, tributes and music from Sight Scotland Veterans centre staff and outreach workers based at home across the country.
The prerecorded Sight Scotland Veterans remembrance service will stream on Sight Scotland Veterans’ Facebook page from 10.55am.
Jim Thomson, the Linburn Centre manager, said: “We sadly cannot all be together in person just now, but we hope that the prerecorded service we will show on the Sight Scotland Veterans Facebook page will allow people to feel that we are still joining together virtually as a community to remember those who gave so much in service of their country.”
Whitburn’s Remembrance service and wreath laying events have also been cancelled.
Co-ordinator Kevin Heggie, said: “This has been a very difficult decision to make as a group, however, this is totally outwith our control.
“May we suggest that any persons or groups that still wish to lay their wreath still do so in their own time and the War Memorial will be checked daily to ensure they are attached to the War Memorial.
“Our group apologies that it has come to this, however, we have to adhere to the guidance in these difficult times.
