VE Day celebrations across the North West
Celebrations are set to take place across the North West to mark Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. On 8 May 1945, people around the world celebrated Germany's surrender, which had been agreed the previous day.Victory in Europe (VE Day) comes comes ahead of Victory in Japan Day (VJ Day) on 15 August, which commemorates the ultimate end of the 1939 - 1945 conflict.Here is a selection of events being held across the region to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Lancashire
BlackburnA service will be held at 16:00 BST on 11 May at Blackburn Cathedral. Prior to the service, a parade led by the Band of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment with the Band of the Lancashire Artillery Volunteers will take place through the town centre, with cadets, scouts and guides from organisations across the county.PrestonA street party including live music, food, games and a quiz is due to take place at The Wilbraham Club on Geoffrey Street in Preston from 12:00 – 18:00 on Monday. A celebration event with a choir, Morris dancing and a ukulele band is planned at Whitechapel Village Hall in Preston from 11:00 – 15:00 on Monday.Beacon lighting event featuring a choir will take place at the Flag Market at 20:45 - 21:30 on Thursday.BurnleyA VE event with military vehicles, stalls and a lone piper performance is set to take place at the Read and Simonstone Constitutional Club in Read, near Padiham, from 12:00 – 17:00 on Monday. Guests are asked to wear 1940s clothes.Veterans and civic guests will gather outside Burnley Town Hall at 08:55 on Thursday to hear a proclamation of freedom, democracy and peace, followed by the raising of the VE80 Day flag.A service of remembrance will take place at the Peace Gardens, located between Burnley Central Library and Thompson Car Park, at 11:00 on Thursday.Beacon lighting and lantern tribute is planned at at the Singing Ringing Tree on Crown Point from 20:45 - 22:00 on Thursday.ChorleyA VE Day proclamation will be read out by town crier outside Chorley Town Hall at 09:00 on Thursday.Rivington Pike will be illuminated with light projections from 21:00 on Thursday.A beacon will be lit at the war memorial at Astley Memorial Park in Chorley at 21:30 on Thursday. It will include a tribute read by the Mayor of Chorley Gordon France and music by Rivington and Adlington Brass Band.Picnic in the Park with a VE Day theme will take place at Astley Park in Chorley from 12:00 to 16:00 on 11 May.Ribble ValleyAn all-day party featuring a wartime singalong with a community choir as well as 1940s ballroom dancing is due to be held at St Mary's Community Hall in Sabden on Saturday.The council will raise the official VE Day flag at Clitheroe Castle to mark the start of the day-long celebrations on Thursday.A beacon lighting will take place at the castle at 21:30 with music from Clitheroe Town Band and the choir from St Mary's Church in Clitheroe.MorecambeA flag-raising ceremony is scheduled at 11:00 on Thursday at Morecambe Town Hall.Morecambe Brass Band will perform a variety of songs at The Platform in Morecambe at 19:00 on Thursday.A beacon lighting will take place at the bottom of the stone jetty between the Midland Hotel and the RNLI station in Morecambe at 21:30 on Thursday.BlackpoolA flag-raising ceremony is set to be held at the Town Hall on Talbot Square from 08:45 - 09:00 on Thursday.A ceremony of reflection is planned for 11:00 at the Fylde Arboretum and Memorial Garden on Moor Park Avenue. A celebration event hosted by BBC Radio Lancashire's Hayley Kay is planned on Tower Festival Headland, Blackpool Promenade from 19:30 - 21:30. There will be performances from Dad's Army Band and a George Formby tribute. Singer Beverley Alexander will lead a communal rendition of I Vow to Thee My Country.Blackpool will join the national beacon-lighting ceremony by illuminating Blackpool Tower in red, white and blue at 21:30.FyldeThere will be music and speeches at a celebration event at Fairhaven Lake from 18:30 on Thursday. HyndburnAn evening of entertainment and reflection will take place at Immanuel Parish Church in Oswaldtwistle at 19:30 on Thursday.
Greater Manchester
ManchesterAt least 20 street parties will be held across Manchester to mark Victory in Europe (VE) Day on Monday.OldhamA parade featuring a brass band is due to take place at Royton Cricket Club in Oldham at 12:00.Live performances by Abbi-Kaye, also known as Viva la Vintage, will be held at Tommyfield Market at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00 on Thursday.A commemorative message card will be located at Spindles - outside Next - where the public can sign and share their thoughts, which will be displayed for everyone to read on Thursday.Oldham's Civic Centre will be illuminated for the final time, marking a tribute to those who served and reflecting on the end of an era for the building on Thursday.BuryA service of remembrance is due to be held at Bury Parish Church at 18:15 on Thursday including a proclamation, the lighting of a candle of peace, and sharing memories of Bury from 19:45.Salford A commemorative event will take place in the sunken gardens at the front of Salford Civic Centre from 21:00 on Thursday. It includes a specially-commissioned fire and light installation from Walk the Plank, lasting for 80 minutes, and a soundtrack of spoken voices created by a local artist featuring people of Salford's reflections on peace.BoltonA civic service will take place at Bolton Parish Church at 19:30 on Thursday, followed by the beacon lighting at the top of the church tower at 21:30.WiganA military-themed event featuring a band is planned at Mesnes Park in Wigan from 11:00 – 16:00 on 10 May. StockportA tea dance is due to take place at Stockport Town Hall from 13:00 -16:00 on Wednesday. The 'We Can't Celebrate; The War isn't Over Yet' exhibition opens to the public at War Memorial Art Gallery on 9 May. RochdaleA service is to be held at Rochdale Cenotaph on The Esplanade from 10:45 - 11:30 on Thursday.
Merseyside and Halton
LiverpoolA 50-piece band comprising the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association Pipes and Drums accompanied by The Scot Guards Association Pipes & Drums, the Wirral Pipe Band and the 103 Artillery Pipes and Drums will perform a selection of tunes on Sunday at 13:00 outside Liverpool Town Hall on Castle Street.The bells at Liverpool's two cathedrals and Liverpool Parish Church will ring out at 18:30. Four beacons behind Liverpool Town Hall will also be lit as a symbol of peace and remembrance at 21:30 accompanied by civic dignitary speeches and a lone piper.KnowsleyLandmarks including the Greystone Road Bridge on the M62 and Archway Road railway bridge will be illuminated in red, white and blue between 5 and 8 May.The church bells will ring at 11:00 on Thursday at St Mary's Church in Prescot.HaltonA celebration event is due to be held at Victoria Park in Widnes from 12:00 - 16:00 on Sunday including an inflatable assault course, face painting, arts and crafts, paintball, and live music at the bandstand.Local schools will also honour soldiers named on the Cenotaph by labelling crosses, followed by a short service. SeftonA VE Day party with live music is due to take place at the Thatch & Thistle pub on Allerton Road in Southport from 12:00 - 16:00 on Sunday.WirralA garden party is due to take place at St Mary's Church on Withens Lane in Wallasey on Monday, with refreshments including cake and sandwiches. The bells will ring at 13:00.A commemoration service will be held at 14:00 followed by an afternoon of entertainment at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton on Thursday. St HelensA VE celebration is due to be held at Rainford Village Hall in St Helens in partnership with Standing Tall Foundation from 13:00 – 16:00 on Thursday. Children from the local schools will read a poem and sing.
Cheshire
ChesterA service is due to take place at Chester Cathedral at 17:30 on Thursday followed by a concert at Chester Town Hall Square at 20:30. The lighting of the beacon of peace will take place at 21:30 outside Chester Town Hall.Cheshire West and CheshireMore details of events organised by parish and town councils in the Cheshire West and Cheshire constituency can be found here. WarringtonA celebration event - hosted by The Warrington Armed Forces Community Support Hub in partnership with The Bunker - will be held at Orford Park from 11:00 on 10 May.Send details of your VE Day events and celebrations to lauren.hirst@bbc.co.uk
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