VE Day: Kelly Holmes announces plan to get whole country involved in WW2 anniversary Olympic legend Dame Kelly Holmes has urged Brits to get involved in community celebrations this year marking the 80th anniversary of our victory in World War II.
Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, celebrates the Allies’ formal acceptance of Germany’s unconditional surrender on Tuesday, May 8, 1945, which marked the official end of the war in Europe in the Eastern Front, with the last known shots fired on May 11.
The Government today sets out plans to mark Victory in Europe Day and Victory over Japan Day “in every corner of the country”.
The retired long-distance runner, who won two gold medals at the 2004 Olympics, says the national commemorations marking Allied victory in World War II in May “could be one of the last chances to thank the surviving veterans to whom we owe so much, so let’s make sure we make this one to remember”.
Plans also include a ‘VE Day Schools Challenge’ with The Together Coalition, a group of well-known business and civl society organisations, and the Royal British Legion, to ask every school to join in in learning about and celebrating VE day ahead of the anniversary.
