Latest news with #Victory80
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Five things you might not expect to see at the Suffolk Show
Suffolk is busier than ever this week as tens of thousands of people from far and wide attend the Suffolk Show in Trinity Park near event, which kicked off on Wednesday, celebrates the county's heritage and culture with visitors able to enjoy hundreds of shows, performances, food stalls and firm favourites make a return to the show, which will come to an end later on Thursday, there are also unexpected new things to see and do each year. Dinobot Dave One thing you might not expect to see at the Suffolk Show is a small, interactive dinosaur called was created by Transformers Car Hire, based in Leicester, which was invited to the show by the county Peters from the company said Dinobot Dave was "like a very big dog"."He interacts with everybody, you can stroke him under the chin, he'll roar for you, it's head waggles around, you can feed him and he waggles his tail," Mr Peters said."This was my manic idea one evening. It started out as a kid's toy - a green, fluffy dinosaur toy."I stripped him all the way down, took all the paint off him, took all the electronics out, all the motors, rebuilt him back up as the Dinobot, and we've put a saddle on him from a Shetland pony."This way, the kids can come sit on him and get some photos. He's a cool lad." Sherman tanks New for 2025 is the Victory 80 display, to commemorate Victory in Europe part of this, Sherman Tanks as well as other military vehicles can be tank was designed and built by the United States for World War was one of the most widely used tanks among the Western Allies and was deployed to Western Europe as well as North Africa and other places. Gliders Also new for this year's show is a glider display from the Army Gliding Club (Anglia) based at Wattisham Airfield near gliding club has existed for about 40 years and was established to introduce service personnel to the sport. The club now also accommodates veterans and Ginns, club secretary, said: "We exist to help soldiers learn to fly."It is fabulous, it is probably the best way to learn to fly and certainly the cheapest way to learn to fly."Our youngest solo pilot is 14 and he came to us at 13 with no flying experience and went solo in six months, a week after his 14th birthday." Vintage farming equipment Farming and agriculture are a huge part of the Suffolk Show - but you might not expect to see equipment that is over 100 years Hockley, a regional sales manager for G. Thurlow & Sons Ltd, based in Stowmarket, brought along vintage equipment to the event. This included a pair of ploughing engines that were originally built for World War One."When the war came to an end, they got adapted for an agricultural purpose," Mr Hockley said."We supplied these engines with the plough they pull across the field, with the cultivator and with the other attachments that it would have had back in the day."We also would have supplied the living accommodation - the hut, that the men who worked these machines slept and made their breakfast and lunch in."We've got paper records in the office going back to when these were sold, which we've supplied to their current owner." Boysie the huge horse Horses are another staple of the show, and while the likes of the Suffolk Punch and heavy horses are large, there is one that potentially towers above them is a 13-year-old Percheron horse that stands at about 2m (6.5ft)."He's 19.2 hands high, but he's never been officially measured because when we took him to the vet to measure him, their stick wasn't tall enough," Lynsey Atkin, Boysie's owner, said."He's very straightforward, considering he's a big horse, you'd think he'd be very scary, but actually he's really easy, calm, and I would happily put a beginner [rider] on him, which is nice because with a big horse you need them to be safe." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Glasgow Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
VE Day 80: Events planned with Red Arrows and procession
The events will see thousands of people line the streets of central London with a special procession that Sir Keir Starmer and the royal family will watch. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport plans include a Churchill speech performance, a flypast by the Red Arrows and aircraft used to support Ukraine, and a military procession of 1,300 members of the armed forces. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy encouraged the public to get involved, saying the planned celebrations for Monday, May 5 were a 'chance for us to come together and celebrate our veterans and ensure their legacy of peace is passed on to future generations'. Is your VE Day 80 event on the map? Share the details of your local event to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on our interactive map Find out more about how to get involved: #Victory80 — Department for Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) April 19, 2025 Government reveals plans for VE Day According to the plans, a procession will start in Parliament Square with the recitation of Winston Churchill's famous VE Day speech the moment Big Ben strikes noon. Alan Kennett, a 100-year-old Second World War veteran who served in Normandy, will then be handed the Torch for Peace from a young person, before the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery lead a procession from Parliament Square down Whitehall. Mr Kennett, who travelled to Normandy with the Royal British Legion for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, called it a 'huge honour' and said the day 'brings back so many memories'. Going past the Cenotaph, the procession will then proceed through Admiralty Arch and up The Mall to Buckingham Palace, watched by Sir Keir and veterans at the Queen Victoria Memorial. 2025 marks 80 years since VE Day and VJ Day. We're calling on WWII veterans to join us for our commemorations to mark these historic anniversaries. If you're a carer or have a family member who served, please register their interest here ⬇️ — Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) January 3, 2025 The King and Queen will also watch the military procession and flypast, and will be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duke of Kent. Young cadets from the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force will be part of the procession. The Government is encouraging members of the public to gather on the Mall and said it is hoping to see 'thousands' of people line the streets. From there, the audience will be treated to a flypast by the Red Arrows and more than 20 current and historic military aircraft. This year marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Find out how you can get involved: ➡️Explore: toolkits for schools ➡️Share: your Letters to Loved Ones ➡️Prepare: your Tip Top Town ➡️Add: your events to the map#VE80 #Victory80https:// — Department for Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) April 23, 2025 The show will include planes which have been involved in tensions with Russia, including P8 Poseidons, which conduct reconnaissance missions surveying Russian vessels near UK waters, and Voyager aircraft which deliver equipment to Ukrainian forces and fly Ukrainian recruits to the UK for training. Also set to perform are Typhoon fast jets, which are a key part of Nato Air Policing, and fifth-generation F-35 Lightning fighter jets. Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'As we mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe, I look forward to joining our veterans, serving armed forces personnel and young people to remember the remarkable generation who defended the freedoms we enjoy today. 'Our whole nation is invited to join together to reflect on the sacrifices of all those who fought for peace and ensure their legacy is never forgotten.' Later that day, Charles and Camilla will host a tea party reception for around 50 veterans and members of the Second World War generation at Buckingham Palace. Recommended Reading This will include British and Commonwealth Armed Forces veterans and women's Royal Navy Wrens, as well as the same royal family members and Sir Keir. The palace's Marble Corridor will be decorated in bunting made from recycled fabrics. Street parties, picnics and community celebrations are also being encouraged across the country.
