Published: Thursday, 30th April 2020
Despite the current lockdown restrictions and the cancellation of many local planned celebrations, Cannock Chase Council is continuing to support the local community to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
When VE Day dawns on Friday 8 May it will be 75 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the war in Europe. Years of carnage and destruction had come to an end and millions of people took to the streets to celebrate peace, mourn their loved ones and to hope for the future.
The 75th anniversary will provide 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.
Friday 8 May has been designated by the government as a Bank Holiday to enable as many individuals, organisations and community groups to join in the VE Day 75 celebrations, however due COVID-19 street parties and local events have had to be cancelled.
Nevertheless, the Council is still encouraging the local community to join in the VE Day celebrations but in the safety of their own homes and following current social distancing guidelines.
The Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team has produced a pack for schools which provides details of a range of activities that can be undertaken at home using items people will already have in their house. This can be found on the Council’s website under the Hednesford Park section.
In addition, the team is also supporting the Friends of Hednesford Park and has provided a range of activities on their social media pages that families can do at home. This includes decorating your home and garden in red, white and blue and having ‘stay at home’ street parties with your immediate family.
Hednesford Lions have been promoting this locally and have asked people to post their photos on social media and be entered into a competition. Details of this can be found on their Facebook page ‘Hednesford Lions’.
The Friends of Hednesford Park has also secured funding from the Awards for All Lottery Fund to purchase red, white and blue wool. The Council’s team has been working with the local Knit and Chat Group who have been making bunting, red poppies, white roses and blue forget me nots from their homes during lockdown. This will be used to decorate the fencing and gates around Hednesford War Memorial for VE Day.
The Parks and Open Spaces team is also working with Hednesford Town Football Club under 12’s who are making a video for the Friends of Hednesford Park. This will promote the football club, provide history of the football team, what they did in the war as well as encouraging other young people to be active at home. This is being funded by Staffordshire County Council’s Building Resilient Families and Communities Fund.
Councillor Christine Mitchell, Leader of Culture and Sport said: “The 75th anniversary will be 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.
“There are a number of activities being promoted across the District and I would encourage everyone to join in with their families from the safety of their homes”.
For more activities for children and families visit Inspiring healthy lifestyles’ Grow Up Great website – www.growupgreat.co.uk