Dame Nia Griffith, Labour MP for Llanelli has welcomed UK Government plans for a series of events and celebrations to be held across the country, to mark the 80th Anniversary of both VE (Victory in Europe) day on 8th May 1945 and VJ Day (Victory Over Japan).
The sacrifices that were made throughout the six years of war were great. Almost 384,000 British soldiers were killed in combat in the Second World War and a further 70,000 British civilians lost their lives.
Just as huge crowds gathered outside to celebrate the end of war in 1945, the UK Labour Government is this year inviting the country to unite through a series of commemorations and celebrations, including a VE Day concert, military procession and flypast, nationwide street parties, and services at the National Memorial Arboretum and Westminster Abbey all of which will be available to the public through ticketed events, or broadcast on TV.
These celebrations will be an opportunity for generations to come together to share and hear local stories of wartime. Arts organisations across the country will also be using culture to tell the stories of our towns, cities and villages during the Second World War.
The UK Government is encouraging towns and cities across the country to participate in the Tip Top Towns initiative, which calls for community and volunteering groups to come together to get towns and villages ready for celebrations taking place, through activities like hanging bunting, litter picking, and crocheting bonnets for letter boxes.
Clement Attlee said in 1943, “Here in this country, although our political divisions were deep, in time of need we were able to transcend them in the interests of the whole community.” This year’s VE/VJ day commemorations are a timely opportunity for our country and our communities to come together again to remember those shared values and freedoms that the Second World War generation fought so hard to protect.
The Letters to Loved Ones initiative, also encourages parents, grandparents and family members to dig into their own family histories, find stories from the war, and share them at www.ve-vjday80.gov.uk.
There will also be the Our Shared Story scheme, an education resource for schools which will encourage young people to engage with veteran testimonies and experiences throughout the year of VE80.
If you want to get involved in a local or national event to mark VE and VJ Day, visit ve-vjday80.gov.uk for more information, ideas, and Government resources to advertise your event.
Dame Nia Griffith MP, said:
“Most people here in Llanelli will have a direct connection to those who served in the Second World War, whether that be through family, friends or our local communities.”
“As we approach the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ, which may well be the last to feature those who directly contributed to the victory, the opportunity to hear from those who experienced wartime first-hand diminishes. It is up to us to ensure that the memory of those who risked so much for us here in Llanelli and across the rest of the UK lives on for many years to come.
These people were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. I am proud that the UK Government has announced a series of national and local events, to remember the fallen, mark our history, and celebrate our common values. I know that Dafen Forum and other local groups are already making preparations for events in May and I am encouraging anyone who can to get involved locally in Llanelli and elsewhere to commemorate those who risked so much to secure our future.”