At 3pm on Tuesday 8th May 1945 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced the end of the war and Victory in Europe with a speech broadcast from Downing Street. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and there were many events planned across the world to celebrate, however, due to the current situation the majority of these have been cancelled, but in the true British Blitz spirit this won’t stop our parish community from coming together to show our solidarity with those who lost their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
At 3pm on Friday 8th May 2020 we will hold our own virtual event with an online video sing-a-long, we will begin by raising a toast as we listen to Churchill’s Victory speech before we continue with some war-time classics. We will finish off by joining Vera Lynn to sing ‘We’ll Meet Again’ which is especially appropriate at the moment.
If you would like to get involved and haven’t already signed up then please let us know. You don’t have to be a great singer, this is just for fun – everyone is welcome to join in and we hope to get as many people as possible connected so don’t be shy, suitable for children and adults. Feel free to dress up for the occasion too!
As the guns fell silent across Europe more than one million people celebrated in the streets throughout Great Britain and the Commonwealth to mark the end of the European part of the war with victory for the Allied Forces. Years of carnage and destruction had come to an end and millions of people took to the streets and pubs to celebrate peace, mourn their loved – ones and to hope for the future. The 75th anniversary will provide our nation, and our friends around the world, with an opportunity to reflect on the enormous sacrifice, courage and determination of people from all walks of life who saw us through this dark and terrifying period, an opportunity for us all to remember the enormous sacrifices that were made at home and abroad and to joyously celebrate as people did 75 years ago, the arrival of peace in Europe.
We will remember the members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy from many countries who gave their lives or returned home injured in body and mind, the hard-working women and men who operated the factories, mines, shipyards and farms, and ARP wardens, police officers, doctors, nurses, fireman, local defence volunteers and others who toiled day and night selflessly on the home front during difficult frightening and uncertain times.
And now we come together in celebration…..
(all song lyrics are available at the bottom of the page or a paper copy can be delivered/collected from church.)
Written at the beginning of the war this final song resonated with soldiers going off to fight as well as with their families and sweethearts back at home. Sung by the Forces Sweetheart Vera Lynn this perfectly captured the mood of the British nation at the time. The message of this song is especially relevant today as we are physically separated due to the Coronavirus but as always we are together in spirit….until We Meet Again!