Major plans are in the works in Weymouth to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Victory in Europe Day, also known as VE Day, on May 8, 1945 is the day which saw the formal acceptance by the allies in the Second World War of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces. It marked the official end of the Second World War in Europe in the Eastern Front, with the last known shots fired on May 11.
Weymouth has a strong tradition of honouring veterans and staging big events and this year saw a bumper D-Day commemoration.
Now the focus is on the significant VE Day anniversary next year and Weymouth Town Council has proposed five different events which could take place on Saturday, May 10.
This will be discussed at tonight’s (Wednesday) Environment and Services Committee.
These proposed events include a live music community concert on Weymouth Beach or at Lodmoor which will cost the council approximately £8,250.
The community concert would feature a mixture of local bands and musicians from a mixture of genres, with a particular focus on songs from the Second World War.
Attendees would be invited to bring blankets or chairs, as well as a picnic ‘to create a relaxed, festival like atmosphere.’
A seafront firework display has also been suggested, costing approximately £6,600.
Further ideas include a promenade street party, which aims to recreate the ‘iconic street parties of 1945,’ costing approximately £8,800.
Tables could stretch down the promenade with local residents invited to share traditional food, songs and stories from the era.
At the event, there could be a VE Day memorial wall where attendees could post photos, letters and stories of their relatives who experienced it – ‘creating a living tribute to the past.’
There would also be children’s workshops for kids to create themed crafts.
Another suggestion was small grants for community celebrations, costing around £3,500 .
This would see a sum of up to £350 given to community groups to fund events and activities, with money going towards food and refreshments, decorations, entertainment and more.
Finally, the option of a Victory Day Festival has been proposed at Radipole, The Marsh or another suitable location.
The event would combine a fun day, picnic and heritage craft fair.
Depending on the option or options chosen, the funding would come out of the council’s ‘events reserve’ which currently sits at £25,000.
A total of £500 would also be required for promotional and marketing activity to be carried out by the marketing team.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel