VE Day 75 Celebrations

VE Day Now and Then

Friday 8th May 2020 marks 75 years since VE Day when the Second World War came to an end in Europe. The long-anticipated news resulted in spontaneous celebrations across the country and a national holiday was declared, when people from all walks of life came together to mark the occasion.

However, the war in the East did not end until 15th August 1945 when Japan finally surrendered. The day was celebrated across the world as Victory over Japan (VJ Day). 

To mark this important anniversary, the UK government has designated Friday 8th May 2020 a bank holiday as part of the three-day weekend worldwide celebrations to remember the enormous sacrifices that were made both at home and abroad and to celebrate as people did 75 years ago, the arrival of peace in Europe.

Changing Celebrations

Because of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic emergency and consequent guidance from Public Health England on mass gatherings, the UK government has announced that plans to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe will now be changed.

For safety reasons, organisers and participants have sadly scaled back, cancelled or postponed the majority of their community celebrations due to take place on the bank holiday weekend of 8th to 10th May.

And to protect the health and wellbeing of the Second World War generation and members of the public, the veterans’ procession down the Mall and the events in St James’s Park will no longer go ahead.

Commemorations

Even with the limitations and restrictions of the Coronavirus lockdown still in place, many residents are planning to unite in celebrating VE Day 75 together at home with their family while safely following government advice on social distancing.

Many of the planned national commemorations will still take place:

The Archbishop of Canterbury will record a special reflection and moment of prayer for VE Day.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will read an extract from King George VI’s diary from 8th May 1945.

Members of The Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Culture Secretary will take part in video calls with Second World War veterans.

NHS Volunteer Responders will be deployed to give a number of Second World War veterans a call and provide an opportunity to share their stories.

11:00am

The Royal British Legion is calling on everyone across the UK to join in a moment of reflection and remembrance at 11:00am on Friday 8th May, the 75th Anniversary of VE Day, and pause for a Two Minute Silence.

2:55pm

Buglers across the country will play the Last Post.

3:00pm

The Nation’s Toast, paying tribute to all the heroes of the Second World War when a thousand plus pipers will play - please raise your glass.

As part of special BBC programming, extracts from Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech will recreate the moment peace in Europe was announced 75 years ago and the Prime Minister will speak about the importance of VE Day.

6:55pm

Town Criers across the country will be ‘Crying out for Peace’.

9:00pm

Her Majesty The Queen will send a message to the nation on BBC One, the exact moment her father, King George VI, gave a radio address in 1945.

Followed by a national singalong of Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’ when the public will be encouraged to open their doors and join in with this national moment of celebration.

However you celebrate, please enjoy your VE Day 75 celebrations at home safely with your family!

Links For More Information

www.veday75.org

www.ve-vjday75.gov.uk

www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/remembrance-events/ve-day-75

Upchurch Matters

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Annual Parish Council Meeting & May 2020 Monthly Meeting Agendas

Upchurch Parish Council will be holding the 2 meetings above via Zoom on Thursday 7th May 2020 at 7:30pm.

The Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Meetings) Regulations 2020 now gives Local Councils the power to meet remotely during this current crisis.

Virtual meetings are open to members of the public. Anyone wishing to watch will need to contact the Clerk for the login details, they will also be allowed to raise questions or comments to Councillors during public time.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01622 739324

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

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Temporary Road Closure - Horsham Lane, Upchurch

Temporary Road Closure - Horsham Lane, Upchurch - 3rd June 2020

Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Horsham Lane, Upchurch from Wednesday 3rd June 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 09:30 and 15:30.

The road will be closed between the junctions with Oak Lane and Woodruff Close, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for any through traffic is via The Street, Oak Lane, Wallbridge Lane and vice versa.

Access for emergency service vehicles and pedestrians will be maintained at all times during the closure.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while pole examination works are undertaken by BT.

For information regarding this closure please contact BT on: 0800 800 150, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

For details of roadworks, see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
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Medway Council Invites Residents to Join Virtual Book Club to Mark 150th Anniversary of Dickens’ Last Novel

Medway Council is inviting residents to take part in an online book club to discuss Charles Dickens’ final unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

To mark the 150th anniversary of Dickens’ death, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the council is encouraging residents to download a copy of the eBook from Medway’s library service and join them in reading the mystery in monthly instalments, the same way the original readers would have enjoyed the novel.

The central mystery, the disappearance of Edwin Drood, plays out in a thinly-disguised gothic Rochester.

Can you solve the mystery? Download the eBook and join in discussions about the novel on the Reading Drood blog each month from May to October. If you’re not already a member of Medway libraries you can join online and borrow eBooks immediately. In recent weeks more than 15,500 eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers have been accessed by residents which is double the amount borrowed during the same time last year.

Chapters one to five will be read in May, six to nine in June, 10 to 12 in July, 11 to 16 in August, 17 to 20 in September and finally chapters 21 to 23 in October.

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said:

“I am pleased we are launching a virtual book club to discuss Dickens’ last novel, it is one of the ways in which we are adapting our services in these unusual times. I would encourage residents to sign up for an online library account as there are thousands of eBooks, audiobooks and eMagazines on offer for them to read, as well as The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and I hope as many people as possible join in with the online discussions. We look forward to welcoming you all back into Medway’s libraries and community hubs as soon as we can.”

To sign up for a library account visit www.medway.gov.uk/libraries

Medway Council

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Free Webinar on Arranging a Funeral in Lockdown

Susan Flipping.

Restricted numbers, shorter ceremonies, no touching, no reception afterwards. Everyone who goes through the agony of arranging a funeral during lockdown knows about the limitations.

But it is still possible to arrange a meaningful funeral, even with social distancing, and Susan Flipping, a funeral celebrant from Upchurch, is running a free online Q and A session to explain how.

‘Families who come to me are already aware of the restrictions and are heartbroken at the thought of not being able to give their loved one the send-off they want.

‘But the ceremony can still be as rich and fulfilling as the life it celebrates.

‘The online session will give free, unbiased information about how funeral directors and celebrants around the country are finding creative solutions that mean funerals can be remembered for the comfort they bring rather than the restrictions imposed.’

The first webinar will be held on Wednesday May 6th at 6:00pm. Because of the nature of the topic, the link will only be sent to a validated email address. Requests to join should be emailed to susan.flipping@kentcelebrancy.com or you can sign up on Facebook at Susan Flipping - Kent Celebrancy

Susan Flipping MICF DipHyp

Institute of Civil Funerals Council of Management
Telephone 07506 239970

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New NHS Urgent Dental Treatment Centres

All routine dental services have stopped as part of social distancing measures.

For people with urgent dental needs, NHS England and NHS Improvement have set up 7 urgent dental centres across Kent and Medway. They are part of a wider network of 38 centres across the South East.

There are centres in Larkfield, Rochester, Ramsgate, Canterbury, Chatham, Ashford and Maidstone.

If you think you have an urgent dental need, please call your regular dentist or any NHS dentist who will go through an initial triage process over the phone and refer you if appropriate.

Search for dentists at: www.nhs.uk

The hubs will provide appropriate separation of people with or without Covid-19 symptoms so can be used by anyone with an urgent dental need.

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group

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