THIS year’s annual celebration of national pride organised by a former Bradford police inspector was launched yesterday in the city.

The founder of One Britain One Nation, Kash Singh, visited St John’s CE Primary School in Dawson Lane, Bierley, to launch OBON Day for 2021, which this year will be held on Friday, June 25.

On the day, Mr Singh hopes thousands of schoolchildren across the UK will come together to celebrate togetherness, unity and shared pride in being British.

Over the past 12 months, the country has been united in trying to fight Covid-19 and in support of the tireless NHS staff and key workers who have been on the frontline throughout the pandemic.

Launching this year’s event yesterday, Mr Singh and the children at St John’s CE Primary were joined by Shipley MP Philip Davies and his wife and fellow MP, Esther McVey.

At the event, the children sang the OBON Day anthem and gave a message of pride and unity.

Ms McVey raised the event recently during Prime Minister’s Questions, with the Prime Minister Boris Johnson lending his support to the celebration event.

OBON Day has taken place for a number of years after being founded in 2013 by Mr Singh, who served the police in Bradford before creating the organisation.

He is urging every school in the country to come together on June 25 at 10am to hold a minute’s applause in tribute to people who have worked and volunteered tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and to perform the OBON Day anthem, the lyrics and music to which are available from the organisation’s website.

Following yesterday’s launch event, Mr Singh said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to champion the British value of respect by paying tribute to all the people who have helped during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.

“I think it’s imperative for all the schools in the country to participate in this simple but yet very powerful and meaningful gesture.

“I want to say a huge thank you to Esther McVey for helping us champion our cause at a national level, and also to the leadership team and the children at St John’s for embracing the concept of OBON and coming up with this incredible song.

“It is so timely to create a feel good factor that is so desperately needed to lift the spirits of all our citizens. It’ll be great to hear this song being played on OBON Day to recognise the efforts of our children and truly make them feel like champions.”

Philip Davies, who has been MP for Shipley since 2005, said: “One Britain One Nation do wonderful work in our schools and across the community bringing people together and uniting them in a pride in being British.

“To see OBON Day at first hand in schools is very special and I am so grateful to Kash and OBON for everything they do. I am proud to support them wholeheartedly.”

Andrew Knight, headteacher at St John’s CE Primary, added: “Our school has supported OBON for a number of years now.

“The children have been the driving force behind our support; they are passionate about celebrating the values of unity, peace, togetherness and our country’s diversity.”