Enfield will give thanks to the men and women who defended the freedoms we enjoy today with a series of events to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
VE (Victory in Europe) Day takes place on Thursday 8 May, where wartime stories and memories will be shared across the UK.
The Mayor of Enfield, Cllr Mohammad Islam, is inviting residents and their friends and families to join him at two special ceremonies.
A commemorative service will take place at 9am at Enfield War Memorial (junction of Windmill Hill and Chase Side, EN2), where wreaths will be laid by the Deputy Lieutenant, Mayor of Enfield, Armed Forces representatives and local councillors.
A beacon of light service will take place at Enfield Civic Centre in Silver Street at 8.45pm on the same day, where the Mayor of Enfield, in line with the national movement, will light a beacon as a ‘lamp light of peace’. The flames will represent the ‘light of peace’ that emerged from the dreadful darkness of war.
The Royal British Legion has arranged for the Enfield Choral Society to lead a community singsong at the start of the service and when the beacon lighting begins.
Cabinet Member for Culture and Inclusion at Enfield Council, Cllr Chinelo Anyanwu, said: “VE Day is a poignant anniversary and is a time for us to remember and to offer thanks to the millions of men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom across the United Kingdom and Europe.
“Those who fought abroad and toiled in factories and on farms at home during one of the darkest periods in our history grow fewer each year, so let us make this 80th anniversary of VE Day an opportunity to thank them, and to pay tribute to the many who are no longer with us.
“Let us gather in the streets, in gardens, in clubs and pubs, in care homes to demonstrate our boundless gratitude to all the men and women who fought and worked for the peace we enjoy today.”
Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Enforcement at Enfield Council, Cllr Gina Needs, said: “VE Day is a tribute to the brave and courageous people who fought for the freedom we all enjoy today. I hope that Enfield residents will come together to hear stories from those who served from the servicemen who fought, to children who were evacuated, and women on the home front.
“Come and join us on the morning of VE Day at Enfield War Memorial and also at the Civic Centre in the evening for beacon lighting, to pay tribute and remember those who sacrificed so much for us.”
The Museum of Enfield in Dugdale Arts Centre (DAC) is currently hosting a display showcasing World War Two artefacts (until 31 May), with free activities for children including an interactive children’s corner with dress up clothes and drawing activity.
Children can also enjoy and learn more about VE Day by following a Spitfire trail inside DAC.
If singing along to classic wartime songs sounds appealing, a fun ‘Hits from the Blitz’ event will be held at the DAC on Friday 9 May at 2.30pm.
The Hits from the Blitz event is a unique feel good 1940s show, as featured at Dame Vera Lynn’s charity gala nights and BBC’s Dad’s Army and features famous Wartime tunes and singalong songs brought to life by the singers and multi-instrumentalists of the ‘Five Star Swing’ band.