Hello, my name is Scarlett Carrell, I am 8 years old and I am in Year 3, in Miss Roger’s class.
I would like to talk to you today, about something which is very important to me. Today, it is Remembrance Day, when we stop everything that we doing for 2 whole minutes, to remember the soldiers who did not come home.
My Dad is a solider in the British Army, and I feel very proud of everything he does to keep us safe and free.
Scarlett (left) with her father, Major Nick Carrell, and sister, Beatrice
Sometimes, this means he has to go away to countries far, far away to help the people there, to be safe and free like us.
Since I was a tiny baby, my Daddy has spent a lot of time in a country called Afghanistan. He has been fighting there for lots of reasons.
My Dad told me that girls are not allowed to go to school in Afghanistan. They are not allowed to read or write like we do. Do you think this is fair?
In the last 100 years, there have been lots of wars all over the world. Today, we are remembering soldiers from the 1st World War, and the 2nd World War, and soldiers who were killed in Bosnia, Iraq , Northern Ireland and Afghanistan.
They gave their lives for us so that we could become better people and do great things for the world. When I grow up I want to be a doctor and help children in Africa and Afghanistan.
Last year, when we were living in Germany, and I was in the Rainbows, we sent parcels to Afghanistan for all the children who have no mums and dads, or homes, because of the war. We also sent them a smile! We raised lots of money for the Poppy Appeal, which helps soldiers who have been hurt, or families who have lost a mum or dad.
Even when I am feeling sad, and I am missing my Dad, I know that what he is doing is good for the whole world. It is very hard, sometimes being a military child, because my Dad is away a lot. He misses my birthday sometimes, or Christmas, or other things which are important to a family.
But, my mum and my sister and I, and all our animals (we have 9 – three dogs, three cats, two guinea pigs and a rabbit), stick together like glue! My mum says that me and my sister and her, are the three muskateers, and together, we can be strong and lend Daddy to parts of the world that need him more than we do.
Thank you for listening to me today.
I wear my poppy with my pride, and I hope you do too.
(Thanks to Scarlett's mother, Jilly Carrell, who contacted us with this story)