May 2020
VE Day celebrations at Edwardstow Court
Edwardstow Court in Stow-on-the-Wold commemorated the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
On Friday 8th May it was 75 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the war in Europe which many of our residents remember so clearly, most of whom were only children at the time.
Although the 75th VE Day celebrations have landed during a global pandemic, Edwardstow Court still celebrated and remembered the special day. Residents all had Union Jack flags, the home was decorated with bunting and everyone enjoyed the themed food all day. Residents tucked into a street party buffet followed by jelly and ice cream. At 3pm everyone raised a glass for the national toast alongside afternoon tea before enjoying fish and chips wrapped in newspaper for tea with apple crumble and custard for pudding – yum!
Victory in Europe Day celebrated the end of years of carnage and destruction and millions of people took to the streets and pubs to celebrate peace, mourn their loved ones and to hope for the future, but not forgetting those still in conflict until 15th August when it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II.
Residents and the team sang war time songs including, ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’, ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’, and of course, ‘We’ll Meet Again’ by Dame Vera Lynn. The team read out poems from the 1940's and everyone fell silent for two minutes at 11am to remember loved ones who had been lost during the years of conflict.
Edwardstow Court will be continuing their celebrations in August to mark Victory in Japan Day.