Join in with your local community and help Solihull BID celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day from the comfort of your own home.
VE Day, otherwise known as Victory in Europe Day, it marks the day towards the end of World War Two when fighting against Nazi Germany came to an end in Europe.
Solihull BID – the Business Improvement District for Solihull town centre – has put together a handy guide so you can still celebrate a huge moment in history whilst staying at home as part of the national effort against the coronavirus pandemic.
Read below to see how you can celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day from your own home.
Get creative for the ‘Piece For Peace’ project
To get involved, all you have to do is create a five-inch square memorial that is themed around VE Day.
The memorial can be knitted, embroidered, crocheted, patchworked, painted onto fabric or on anything that can be sewn together to form a large memorial to commemorate VE Day as a symbol of peace.
For now, the designs will be showcased on the Solihull BID website and social media channels so make sure you take a picture of your creation and e-mail it to [email protected] before sending it off to the BID office – 618 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 1AA.
For more information and to view all of the submissions so far, check out the Solihull BID website here: www.solihullbid.co.uk/pieceforpeace/
Get in the mood with some 1940s themed music
Solihull BID will also be posting online live music performances by acts that were due to play at the celebrations in the town centre, so you can join in with the celebrations from your own home in these difficult times.
Look out on the Solihull BID website for timings of these performances and watch them across their social media platforms. There will be performances throughout the day on May 8th from Gemma Doyle, The Boogaloo Babes and Theatretrain Solihull.
Make your own bunting
On 8th May 1945 the streets filled with parties, Union Jack flags, smiles and bunting… lots of bunting. There are many tutorials on YouTube which talk you through how to make your own bunting, the perfect activity to complete at home.
Solihull BID will also be creating their own guide to show how it’s done – keep an eye out on their social media channels.
Get dressed up
Have a look through your wardrobe and see what you already have that resembles clothing of the 1940s era.
For women, fashion was all about creating an hourglass silhouette with masculine details: padded shoulders, nipped in high waist tops, and A-line skirts that came down to the knee, shorter than the 1930s due to shortage on fabrics. There were lots of blue and khaki green colours used and this was the everyday shape for clothing, from suits to dresses, even trousers had a similar high waisted, wide leg shape.
For men it was all about making a man feel ‘larger than life’. WWll fabric rations didn’t stop style being desired. Many men went for military style suits but with restrictions on clothing due to rations, jackets could not have pleated backs, metal zippers or buttons, feature raglan sleeves or have half belts, so most men kept their 1930s suits. It was seen as a sign of support for the war to be seen in your pre-war suits.
`Put on a spread `to represent the authentic VE day party !
Feast on everything you can get your hands on! Sandwiches were the main order for VE Day along with beer (until it ran out!), would you try a dripping sandwich for the occasion (mmm… beef fat)?
Potatoes were also big in the war; Lord Wooten pie was first created at the Savoy Hotel in London and another favourite during the war. You would also see dishes such as pork faggots, corn beef hash and many eggless fruitcakes! Keep an eye on the Solihull BID website for some VE Day recipes.
Get ready to toast
Join in with an online toast on Facebook at 3pm on Friday, May 8th as the nation says thank you to those that brought peace to Europe in 1945 and to remember the sacrifice of those who died or were wounded.
Get involved with Solihull BID’s Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/SolihullBID
Share your stories
If you have any stories or anecdotes from VE Day 1945, whether they are your own, or those of family members, Solihull BID would love to hear them!
Email them to [email protected], so they can be shared on the Solihull BID website and social media channels.
Solihull BID wants to ensure that the hidden enemy COVID 19 doesn’t stop the local community celebrating such an important milestone in our country’s history. In these testing times, community spirit and togetherness, albeit from your own homes, is vital for everybody.
If you have any questions about the Piece for Peace project, please get in touch by emailing [email protected]
#PieceForPeace
