Maria Miller, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, invited me to speak to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester this week about our work in Folkestone to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War in 2014. The government rightly recognises that this anniversary is an important time for the country to come together and remember the sacrifices that millions of people made in the service of our country. In his poem 'Aftermath' written after the war Siegfried Sassoon asked the telling question, "Have you forgotten yet? for the world' events have rumbled on since those gagged days." Next year we have the opportunity to demonstrate that we have not forgotten.
Folkestone played a part in many peoples wartime stories as it was the major port of embarkation for the armed forces to and from trenches of the western front. 10 million men came through Folkestone during the war and it is right that we do something appropriate and significant to mark this. We have been working closely with the government on our 'Step Short' project, and it has been listed by them as one of the most significant events that will be taking place next year to mark the anniversary of the outbreak of the war. We are also discussing with the Ministry of Defence our plans for a parade on 4th August, with the participation of the armed forces, to mark the official opening of the new memorial arch on The Leas.
I believe that the First World War centenary is and will be a very important event, but it is of course not the only significant anniversary that will be coming up in the next few years. In 2015, for example we will mark 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo and the seventy fifth anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Our area played a significant part in both of these battles and they also deserve appropriate recognition. To help with this the government announced on Tuesday the creation of a new £10 million fund to support national and community events that mark important anniversaries in our nation's history.
There have also been significant announcements at the Conservative Party conference, designed to support hardworking people. I would particularly highlight the plans to freeze road fuel duty until 2015 and the creation of a transferable tax allowance for married couples worth £1,000 a year.
On Tuesday last week I was delighted to be invited to present prizes and speak at Brockhill Park school's celebration evening. This event marks the achievements of the students in their studies, and also the wide range of other activities which the school offers. Brockhill's students have worked hard to maintain their deserved reputation as a centre of excellence for the performing arts. The school's young farmers continue to win prizes at the Kent Show for their livestock, and Brockhill has also enjoyed another record year for its exam results.