GALLERY – VE Day marked across the area

in Community, Events, News 13/05/2020

Celebrations might not have been exactly as planned but people across South Holland still turned out to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day in style.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic events planned to celebrate the occasion had to be called off but residents were determined not to let it slip by unmarked.

Many people held picnics in their gardens, some held street parties (socially distancing of course), while others distributed gifts across the district.

Dementia support worker Marian Gaylor, who works for Tonic Health in Spalding, spotted VE Day shortbread in a supermarket and thought it would be a great idea to give every member of her group a tin on VE Day.

She approached chairman of trustees, Michael Morris, who agreed and enlisted a local member of the Norfolk Military Vehicle group who loaned her a WW2 Willys Jeep for the day.

Jan Whitbourn had arranged a special parade and service in Spalding to mark the occasion which had to be cancelled.

Instead she worked with Morrisons to provide veterans with packages to help them celebrate while self-isolating.

They included both Keith Seaton and local British Legion standard bearers Graham Hewitt and Alan Canham.

Both standard bearers still ceremoniously dipped their standards at 11am and 3pm from their own homes to mark the occasion.