w/c 4 May 2020
Every VE Day is a poignant date in the year in which we get to reflect on the sacrifices that were made on both the frontline and home front to keep us safe and free, but this one is doubly so. Firstly it marks 75 years since the end of World War Two in which over 450,000 people from the UK lost their lives. The announcement was made by Winston Churchill in his now notorious victory speech that day. Secondly, we cannot help but draw similarities to the sacrifices made in that war to the ones being made today by our NHS staff and keyworkers during this pandemic. "Never was so much owed by so many to so few" – a true statement then and still true today.
Many events were planned across the town and country to commemorate the day but today can be seen as a plan B, or a very unexpected plan Z is maybe more appropriate. But the cancelled activities do not mean we cannot still join together from our own homes to mark the occasion. Some of the key activities I will be taking part in include joining the nation in a two minutes silence at 11am which gives us the opportunity to honour the lives lost and sacrifices made both during the war and today. I hope you will then also all raise a glass of fizz, or cup of tea, with me at 3pm to say “to those who gave so much, thank you” as part of VE Day 75’s campaign. Finally I will be listening to The Queen at 9pm and will join the nation in a singalong to Dame Vera Lynn’s “We’ll meet again”, sorry to my family in advance for my off key tone!
We may be apart in these challenging times but we're in this together. And with this spirit in mind I know that when we do meet again we will do so in our high street and seafront. We will buy clothes for parties, meet friends at cafes, bars and restaurants, and enjoy family days out at our seaside with candy floss and rides - we will be together again.
If you’re looking for activity ideas or other events that you can tune into then I’ve conducted a list which you can find at www.southendbid.com/news-events.
- Suzanne Gloyne