At Annan ARC, commemorations began with a rousing sing-along to some of the songs and music from the original VE Day, followed by a trip to the brilliant Devil’s Porridge Museum at Eastriggs. Everyone wore their best 1940’s outfits, and there was a prize awarded for the best costume. After a delicious VE Day afternoon tea prepared with the help of service users Jack and Kevin, the group observed the 2 minutes of silence before continuing the afternoon with dancing to 1940’s music, a VE Day quiz and lots of traditional games like hopscotch and marbles.
All the service users had good fun at the event. Pamela said: “I liked the flags, dressing up and dancing”, and Wilma said: “I liked the dancing, the decorations and the food”.
Meanwhile, at Newton Stewart ARC, service user Carinne performed a beautiful poem she had written herself to mark the occasion. Carinne is very creative and has an ambition of one day becoming a professional writer. She has been working on several stories during her time at the ARC and created a garden mural to mark the ARC's recent 40th anniversary celebrations.
You can read Carinne’s poem below:
On this day, so bright and bold,
We honour stories long retold.
Eighty years have passed us by,
Yet still we raise our voices high.
The bells once rang, the streets once cheered,
for peace restored, for love revered.
Through battles fought and shadows deep,
Brave hearts their solemn promise keep.
No more the skies alight with rage,
No more the war, no iron cage.
In Freedoms light, we stand today,
Their echoes strong this VE Day.
By Carinne.