Newington History Group (NHG) has been presented with soil from the First World War battlefields at Ypres in Belgium.

The group was given the earth in memory of the people from the area who died in foreign fields there during the conflict.

The gesture comes from the Belgian town, which is twinned with Sittingbourne.

Some of the soil, gifted by Ypres Tourism Department, will be scattered at the village’s war memorial at St Mary’s Church on Sunday evening by Deputy Mayor of Swale, Cllr Ken Ingleton, during commemorations to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War

A capsule containing the remaining soil will be buried in the memorial garden at the village sign alongside the A2. A plaque marking the occasion will later be put up by the history group.

NHG chairman, Dean Coles, said: “We are very grateful to the people of Ypres for this historic gesture. Scattering the soil at the memorial will be a significant moment during our event.

“The Mayor of Swale will be attending Remembrance events in Ypres that day, so we are delighted to be able to include a gift from Ypres and the Deputy Mayor in our ceremony.”

St Mary’s, in Church Lane, will hear tributes from Paul Auston, representing the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, and Newington CEP School pupils from 6pm until 7.30pm during the memorial service.

Following the Last Post, a chain of beacons will be lit at 7pm across the country.

NHG has erected its lantern at Wormdale Farm - a site of a former gun emplacement.

Some 50 large poppies, which each represent a resident lost in the conflict in the last century, have been attached to lampposts in Newington.

On Friday 100 veterans and servicemen will be in the village from about 3pm during The Long Walk Home, a 100-mile trek from Ypres to Whitehall organised to mark the centenary of the Armistice.

Your Remembrance services in Sittingbourne

Remembrance Day parades and events will be taking place around Sittingbourne as part of commemorations to mark 100 years since the end of the Great War on Sunday.

• A service will take place at the War Memorial in Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, on Sunday from 10.45am. Organisations wanting to take part should be at the Appleyard before 10am at the Avenue of Remembrance.

• St Margaret of Antioch Church in Lower Halstow is holding service at 10.30am and the church will be open to all until 4pm.

• The Church of SS Peter and Paul in Borden is holding its event from 9.30am to 11am.

• At the Church of St Bartholomew, Bobbing, an informal service is due to begin at 10.45am.

• Church of St Mary the Virgin in Newington will start its commemorations at 10am, while its namesake in Upchurch will begin 15 minutes later.

• Remembrance at both All Saints Church in Murston and St Michael and All Angels, Hartlip is to commence at 10.15am and the Brickfields Memorial Garden in Lower Halstow is holding a service at 6am.

• All Saints Church in Iwade and St Giles Church, Tonge begin their Remembrance events at 10.30am.

• The start time is 10.45am at Holy Trinity Church, Milton.

• St Peter and St Paul Church in Lynsted is holding its memorial at 10.40am.

• The congregation at St Laurence Church in Bapchild will gather at 10am for a 10.30am start.