VE Day grants: ABC community groups to be given two-week period to mark historic occasion

Councillors have decided that groups will have a two-week window to host their planned events.

The anniversary of VE Day will be on May 8, and a much more restrictive timeline for events had initially been envisaged – from May 7 to May 11.

Victory in Europe (VE) Day is the date when German forces surrendered to the allied nations. A working group met on February 6 to consider a potential programme of activity.

In keeping with what is being planned nationwide, the VE Day flag will be raised at civic headquarters in Craigavon at 9am on May 8.

A beacon will be lit at Craigavon Lakes at 9.30pm, to coincide with a celebratory occasion.

An exhibition is on the cards as well. Armagh County Museum staff have collated various archives from council collections relating to local activity during World War II, and re-creations of these will be displayed in Craigavon Civic Centre as part of the celebratory event.

Officers have also approached NI Screen, seeking permission to use some archive footage from that time.

It is envisaged the proceedings will take place from 7pm until around 9pm, followed by the beacon lighting at Craigavon Lakes.

Officers have been in contact with officials at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral regarding the service on May 7. ABC Council has agreed to contribute £2,500 towards this.

Council officers will work alongside officials at the cathedral in the development of the programme and the delivery of the event.

A World War II schools programme will be delivered by the team at Armagh County Museum, using genuine artefacts and also re-creations, to give children a hands-on experience of life at that time.

Council officers are also looking at delivering a programme called ‘Digging for Victory’ in partnership with local communities.

Speaking at a recent Economic Development & Regeneration committee meeting, the recommendation to approve the programme of events, and to allow letters of offers to be issued to community groups, was proposed by Alderman Mark Baxter (DUP, Lagan River DEA).

He also made a proposal for a less restrictive timeline, to give community groups more time to host their events – from May 1 to May 15.

Ald Baxter commented: “I’m happy to propose, with maybe one slight amendment. I know a lot of events are taking place even on the bank holiday Monday, which is May 5, so could I propose we just extend the time when groups can have events?

"Because I’m conscious the North West 200 is on as well, so it’ll be a struggle maybe to get caterers and all for all the different groups on the one day, whatever they’re planning, and if they’re having fun days and all that sort of stuff. So could I propose maybe that we just extend it to a two-week period, maybe from May 1 to May 15?

Seconding, Alderman Ian Burns (UUP, Banbridge DEA) felt it made sense to do just that: “I know that there are groups who are planning things with military vehicles, and there’s only a limited amount of them about, so you’re not going to get them within that period.”