THE Royal British Legion (RBL) has called on the nation to mark 75th anniversary of VE Day from home.
The organisation has announced a programme of activities to mark the anniversary on Friday 8 May for people to participate in from home.
With members of the public no longer able to attend VE Day 75 events, activities include a VE Day 75 livestream, national moments of Remembrance and thanksgivings and activity packs, all in tribute to the entire Second World War generation from British, Commonwealth and Allied Forces, to evacuees and those who served on the home front.
At 11am, the RBL is encouraging people to pause for a two minute silence to honour the service and sacrifice of the Second World War generation, and also take the opportunity to reflect on the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on so many lives across the world.
Following the silence, the RBL is hosting a VE Day 75 livestream, sharing stories and memories from those who served and sacrificed during the Second World War, and recognising the difficulties people are experiencing today.
Hosted by TV presenter Sonali Shah, the programme will feature contributions from social historian Julie Summers and cook and influencer Melissa Helmsley. The programme will be live from 11.15am on the RBL's website.
Later in the day, the RBL has partnered with the BBC to present an evening of memories and music from 8pm on BBC One, with the public encouraged to take part in a UK-wide rendition of Vera Lynn's 'We'll Meet Again' at 9pm.
The RBL has also developed a VE Day online learning pack designed for 7 to 14-year-olds, including first-hand accounts from the Second World War generation, veteran interviews and range of activities to allow families to explore and commemorate VE Day together.
The Royal British Legion’s assistant director of commemorative events, Bob Gamble OBE, said: “As we face some of the most challenging times since the Second World War, now more than ever it is important to unite in recognition of people’s service to the nation, just as communities did 75 years ago.
“There is no right or wrong way to take part in the silence at 11am, some people may wish to stand at their windows or step outside their front door, but we hope that individuals and families across the UK will embrace the opportunity to share in a national moment of reflection.
"Then later on we invite people to open their windows wide and join us to celebrate and give thanks as we singalong to Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime classic, ‘We’ll Meet Again’, which has added poignancy in the current circumstances.
“There are many parallels between the struggles of the Second World War and what we are going through today. As we mark 75 years since Victory in Europe, we look to our Second World War generation to learn from their experiences, and the Legion continues our critical work to protect them from the threat we currently face.”
The activities can also be accessed on social media using #VEDay75 and #VEDay75Live during the livestream.