A 1940s Celebration

Victory in Europe (VE) Day is very special to a vast majority of our residents, given that they would have been born to see the end of World War II – or perhaps their direct relatives would have experienced the wartime struggles. They would have heard many stories recounted while growing up, for them to pass on to the next generation – and so on. It is important that we listen carefully to these stories as they have shaped our country’s history for so many years. Celebrating milestones like these aren’t just for ‘fun’, they are for those affected personally to share their story and for the rest of us to learn new things.

The best way we could celebrate this summer event is by honouring the soldiers and loved ones of WW2 in a traditional way. Our homes were decorated with Great British bunting to show our patriotism, our tables were filled with delicious spreads of food of classic BBQs and buffet food, our glasses were filled with bubbles to toast the occasion, and our hearts were filled with the loss of our soldiers but the love that helped everyone push through in a time of need.

Luckily, the sun was shining brightly so we were able to get outside in the beautiful gardens of our homes and enjoy the celebration. We hosted street parties, indoor and outdoor, that everyone was very welcome to join us for – just like they would do in the 1940s. Live entertainment set the tone for the day and lots of fun and traditional activities were underway for the 80th Anniversary of VE Day.

Loved ones were invited to spend time with our residents and team members to encourage intergenerational interactions. It helps the younger generations to understand the extent of significant historical events, while the older (wiser!) generations can reflect on their experiences.

Thank you so much to our amazing teams for organising events like these. This was an event not to be forgotten in years to come!

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