A FULL programme of events to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day has been unveiled for Thursday 8 May.
The celebrations in Redcar are designed to commemorate the end of the Second World War and 80 years of peace as well as to honour those who fought for freedom.
Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Cllr Neil Bendelow, thanked everyone who has helped organise the event and said: “The 80 years of relative peace we have enjoyed since 1945 were dearly bought in the sacrifices made by so many. This is a chance to honour them and reflect - but also celebrate that peace with joy and hope for the future.
“It will be respectful but also a joyful occasion and it is a chance for all us right across our community to unite as one. I would also urge anyone who is considering organising their own event to do so.”
Programme for VE 80 Redcar on Thursday 8 May
9am: Together We Stand. Raising of VE Day flags at Redcar Civic Centre, Redcar Garden of Remembrance and Coatham Social Club.
11.30am - 12pm: VE Day Redcar Celebrations at The Beacon on Redcar seafront.
- 11.30am: Parade of standard bearers and veterans’ associations and anyone who wishes to join. March from Boating Lake to Redcar Beacon
- From 12pm: Memorial service followed by readings, poetry, music from the Redcar Community Choir and singing of the national anthem. Stalls from the Royal British Legion and RNLI and ‘80 tombola’ with prizes.
6.30pm: Together We Chime – Let the Nation’s Bells Ring Loud. Church bells ring out across the borough.
8pm: Ceremony of light at Coatham Boating Lake on Redcar seafront.
- 8.15pm: Boating Lake bridge lit up and decorated with 2 x 6ft ‘Tommies’, poppy drape, spotlights and smoke machine. Please feel free to bring a lamp, torch, candle or similar. (NB: lake will be dry for this event).
- 8.30pm: Entertainment by George Robinson - Redcar’s crooner.
- 9pm: Music from the Redcar Community Choir.
- 9.30pm: Everyone invited to join in with the national singing of I Vow to Thee my Country followed by Give me Oil in my Lamp and the national anthem. A ‘peace lamp’ will be lit with the flame representing the ‘light of peace’ emerging from the darkness of war. More than 200 candle tealights will be lit - each one with the name of one of the WW2 casualties listed on the Redcar cenotaph and also the 15 civilians sadly killed when the Zetland Club, Redcar, was bombed in October 1941 and the civilians lost when the Redcar Iron & Steel Works at Warrenby were bombed in November 1941 and January 1942.
9.30pm: Lighting the Beacons with Flames of Peace - A Global Tribute. Light up of the beacons at Birk Brow Bank near Guisborough and Danby, courtesy of Cleveland Fire Brigade.
A number of community street parties and events are also expected to take place across the borough on Bank Holiday Monday, 5 May. Organisers can find out more here ve-vjday80.gov.uk and here Your guide to organising a street party - GOV.UK Organisers are being reminded to register their events by Monday 21 April. The council will not charge for road closures to enable street parties. Email raswa@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk with any queries about road closures.