Letter from Bruno Peek CVO OBE OPR - Pageantmaster VE Day 2025 to parish and town council Clerks:
Dear Town and Parish Clerk,
RE: TOWN & PARISH COUNCILS - VE DAY 80 - 8TH MAY 2025
May I first take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support with regard to commemorating and celebrating important historic moments over many years now, with the last to being D-Day 80 - 6th June 2024 and our late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee etc, especially as the involvement of our local communities are so important when undertaking these commemorations and celebrations throughout our great Nation. (We are the envy of the world).
Following on from the enormous success of D-Day 80 - 6th June 2024, which as you know commemorated the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, 80 years ago, in which town and parish councils paid a crucial role in, we are now focusing all our efforts on celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, on 8th May next year, and have pleasure in attaching the current Guide To Taking Part which is also available to download from the VE Day 80 website - www.VEday80.org.uk.
The site also outlines other aspects of the celebrations for the 8th May next year, and would be grateful if you would send the following information to all your Town and Parish Clerks throughout your County at your earliest convenience please, encouraging them to take part in one or more of the following ways.
(1) BEACONS: Encourage those Councils that already have Beacons, similar to what are shown on pages 9, 10 and 11, of the Guide, to re-light them at 9.30pm on 8th May 2025. (Those with gas fuelled Beacons could light them again, using the D-Day head, or purchase a VE Day head if they feel it appropriate).
(2) LAMP LIGHT OF PEACE: Encourage those Councils unable to light Beacons, to purchase and light a Lamp Light of Peace at 9.30pm on 8th May 2025 too. (See page 12 of the Guide).
The benefits of a Lamp Light of Peace painted red to represent the ultimate sacrifices made by so many millions around the world during WWII, are as follows.
(2a) They are simple and safe to use, along with providing an extremely cost effective and meaningful way of local Councils, their communities, pubs, restaurants and organisations to name but a few, to take part, with the flame from them, representing the ‘light of peace’ that emerged from the dark days of WWII, and once used for this occasion, can be re-lit at 11am on Remembrance Sunday in ‘remembrance’ for many years to come.
(2b) At a cost £55.00 including VAT, post and packaging, along with being safe and simple to use, they should be easily within the reach/budget of every Town and Parish Council throughout England.
(3) RINGING OUT IN CELEBRATION: Encourage every Town and Parish Council with a Church that has Bells, to ring them at 6.30pm on 8th May 2025, in the celebration of the peace that so many sacrificed so much to achieve.
(4) EVENT REGISTRATION: We would like all those taking part to register their involvement in the following way please, enabling us to register their involvement, as well as sending them the Certificate of Grateful Recognition, providing them with the opportunity to download, print and frame it as a permanent reminder of their participation in this important anniversary celebration, as well as listing their participation on the VE Day 80 website nearer the time.
NAME OF COUNTY: ENGLAND
- Name of Town or Parish:
- Name of Contact:
- Email:
- Beacon - Yes or No:
- Lamp Light of Peace - Yes or No:
- Bell Ringing - Yes or No:
- If Yes, Name of Church:
- Name of Church Contact:
- Email:
We do hope therefore, that you will continue to support these special occasions by undertaking the following please.
My warmest regards to you,
