County Hall will again be awash with colour this weekend.
To night (7th May), the county council’s headquarters in Glenfield will be lit up for a sixth week running, with banners also proudly on display in another show of support for front-line workers
Tomorrow (8th May), on the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the building will also be illuminated in red, white and blue. The Union flag will also be raised in a show of support for all our armed forces.
The official VE Day commemorations will begin at 11am tomorrow with a national moment of remembrance and a two-minute silence and residents are being encouraged to celebrate from the safety of their homes.
In 1945, the people of Leicestershire joined in Victory in Europe celebrations, celebrating heroes at home and on the frontline. And 75 years on, residents across Leicestershire will join in from their homes and gardens to remember those who lost their lives, so that we could live ours
Person:County council leader Nick Rushton
Leicester Cathedral will also play host to a virtual service at 12 noon streamed from the cathedral via YouTube. The service will be led by the Sub Dean, Revd Alison Adams, and Bishop Martyn Snow will preach.
There will be readings from Mike Kapur, the Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, and Colonel David Wakefield, the Deputy Commander of 7 Infantry Brigade.
Residents can also get involved with national events which include a two-minute silence at 11am and a televised address from The Queen at 9pm.
The pre-recorded address by The Queen will be followed by a national sing-along of the wartime favourite Dame Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again.
The government and English Heritage have created a range of online resources to help everyone get involved in celebrating VE Day. Ideas include tips on how to make bunting, how to produce celebratory posters, colouring ideas and music of the time to play at your party.
The council is also inviting residents to share their Second World War stories, family histories and messages of remembrance on its social media channels using the #VEDAY75 hashtag.
For more information on VE Day celebrations across the county, including the virtual Leicester Cathedral service, visit leicestershire.gov.uk/veday75
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