VE Day goes virtual
PUT IT IN YOUR WINDOW WHEN WE APPLAUD OUR LOCAL HEROES
ASHBOURNE IS COMING TOGETHER TO MARK 75 YEARS SINCE THE END OF WWII ...BUT NOT AS PLANNED, BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS RESTRICTIONS
THE people of Ashbourne are to come together, at least in a virtual sense, on Friday, for a series of locked-down events to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
Ashbourne Town Council and the Ashbourne branch of the Royal British Legion had been working hard on arranging a day of commemoration and celebration in the town centre, but the physical events were cancelled as part of the coronavirus restrictions.
However, plans are being sealed up to allow people to carry on in the spirit of the day and enjoy a festive atmosphere from their own homes and driveways.
The day of celebrations is set to be split into two parts, with the Royal British Legion branch teaming up with Ashbourne Town Council and students from Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School for a formal celebration of the Allied Victory in Europe and a commemoration of the sacrifices made by those who never returned, beginning at 10.45am.
People are invited to log on to the Ashbourne Royal British Legion’s Facebook page to watch a 15-minute video, which will be published at 10.45 on Friday, an official bank holiday.
The video will consist of six readings, beginning with an overview of WW2 concluding with the declaration of war, by Brell Ewart DL.
Three QEGS students will then give readings based on The Battle of Britain, the Battle for the Atlantic and the Normandy Landings.
Colonel Adam Fraser-hitchen will then give a readon on Unconditional Surrender and Ann Smith will read about VE Day.
Paddy Kerr will give a reading on Ashbourne’s Sacrifice, before an Exhortation by Brell Ewart.
The broadcast will be followed by a recital of The Last Post and a minute’s silence.
Brell Ewart will then lead the Kohema Epitaph before a blessing by Rev Duncan Ballard.
From around 2pm a second, less formal, session of celebration will begin. Houses around the town are being decorated in red, white and blue in preparation for a townwide tea party. A sheet of WW2 songs is being distributed and posted on the Ashbourne Covid-19 Community Support Group, which will form an online base for the afternoon’s activities. Centred around this sing-along, which is expected to last around two hours, Mrs Smith hopes the town will join together in their isolated groups to generate a community-wide festive atmosphere in their gardens, or on their balconies or driveways.
She said: “Next year we’ll have a big celebration in the town, all together, but for now we’re just trying to do the best we can with what we’ve got.
“We’re playing it by ear, I don’t know how it’s going to work really, but we want everyone to get involved.
“So if you have neighbours who are not on social media then slip a note through the door, pass it on. We want this to be a big community event.”
To find out more, call Mrs Smith on 07813 826703.
Next year we’ll have a big celebration in town, all together. But we will do our best this year.
Mayor Ann Smith