Friday 8th May 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of VE Day, when Britain and its Allies formally accepted Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender during WWII, marking the end of fighting in Europe.
Sadly the weekend of festivities that we had planned, which included a special visit from an ex-Royal Navy ship, WWII garden party and parade, have understandably been cancelled. Though we cannot celebrate in the ways we had hoped there are still plenty of other ways we can all take part in a collective commemoration:
- At 11am there will be a nationwide two-minute silence to remember the fallen. There is no right or wrong way to take part. You may wish to observe this in the privacy of your home, at your window or stepping outside whilst remaining distant from others.
- At 3pm people are invited to raise a glass for a toast: “To those who gave so much, we thank you.” And Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 speech to the nations will be broadcast on the BBC as part of special programmes planned for the day.
- At 9pm the Queen will address the UK, on a pre-recorded message broadcast by the BBC, at the exact moment her father King George VI gave a radio address 75 years ago. This is followed by an opportunity to go to your doorstep or window to join in a mass sing-a-long of We’ll Meet Again
Many people are planning their own activities or parties at home and the official VE Day website offers some excellent resources with ideas for food, music and activities for parties.
Though we are not able to mark the anniversary as planned, at this time we are witnessing Penarth’s collective spirit and sense of community. We invite all of Penarth to join us in recognising this historic date and expressing our debt of gratitude to those who have gone before us.
Our image above shows a VE Day party taking place in Plassey Street.
