VE Day - 75th Anniversary 8th May 2020.

Friday 8th May is the 75th Anniversary of VE Day – victory in Europe, unfortunately because of the Coronavirus pandemic we are unable to celebrate in the way we would like. It doesn’t mean there aren’t ways we can celebrate within the safety of our homes and raise a toast to this historic moment.

Dedicated programmes will also be broadcasted to help you get involved in celebrations.

• 11am – The Nation Remembers – BBC1 will lead a poignant two-minute silence to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
• 2.45pm – The Announcement of Victory – BBC One – Winston Churchill’s historic speech will be broadcasted – providing a fascinating insight into what the public will have heard on that significant day all those years ago.
• 8pm – BBC One – The people’s Celebration – Viewers can also tune into a special programme on VE Day, which will see some of the UK’s biggest stars (Katherine Jenkins, Beverley Knight) sing a rendition of the iconic ‘We’ll Meet Again’ by Vera Lynn. Throughout the show, we will hear from the real stars of the night, the people who still remember that historic evening and can tell us what it was like., first hand.
• 9pm – BBC One – The Queen’s Speech – The Queen herself will be giving a special address to the nation (her second during the coronavirus pandemic) – which is the exact same time that her father, King George spoke to the UK 75 years ago, on the actual VE Day.

May we also suggest you raise a toast to Don Sheppard a Laindon Veteran of the Second World war who was a 100 on the 4th May.

Below is a poem written in the last few days by Sue Ranford one of our members, why not get somebody in the family to read it out at an appropriate time.

VE. Day 75th Anniversary

Churchill’s speech is broadcast,
A treaty has been signed,
The war is finally over,
All horrors far behind.

Dark grey clouds have lifted,
The silver linings shine,
I can’t believe it’s happened,
It really is peace time.

Pictures on the news
Of people everywhere;
Happy, heaving crowds
Fill Trafalgar Square.

Then impromptu singing
Spreads throughout the crowd,
With flags and bunting flying,
A happy, joyous sound.

A line of conga dancers,
Hokey cokey too,
Weave among the crowds
So you can join the queue.

Now 75 years later
We celebrate the day
When victory in Europe
Meant peace was here to stay.

By Sue Ranford
Member/Volunteer
May 2020