VE – Day 75th Anniversary Commemorations Update

We had hoped, as a community, to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VE

Day, on 8 May and plans were far-advanced to do this.  However, with

regret, I must advise that the government has decided that, because

of the Coronavirus pandemic, outside, public commemorations of the 75th

Anniversary of D Day, scheduled for the weekend of 8-10 May, are

postponed. It is possible that some kind of digital, online, commemoration

will still take place on the day, however, this is yet to be confirmed. I

will forward these details, as they become known.

The public event is not cancelled though and the thinking, at the moment,

seems to be around making VJ Day, 15 Aug, the centre of end-of-war

commemorations. Other, earlier opportunities also exist eg. the weekend

closest to Armed Forces Day (23 Jun). That date however, is also the end

of the 12-week social isolation period for Extremely Vulnerable persons

and it is unlikely that, having achieved what reduction in contacts we

have over this lockdown, the government would potentially jeopardise this.

Hence, the general feeling is that the weekend of 15 Aug is now the most

likely time.