The West Berkshire village of Englefield marked VE Day 75 at home this year with residents decorating their homes with red, white and blue bunting and rainbows drawn by the local children adorning windows.
Adapting the usual celebrations to observe social distancing measures, the villagers remained in their own gardens for a toast at 3pm whilst bagpiper Alastair Graham-Campbell entertained onlooking crowds, playing whilst walking through the village.
Earlier in the day, after observing a two-minute silence at 11am, a service of commemoration was held at St Mark’s Church, shared to local residents online, during which Richard Benyon, Chairman of Englefield Estate, read the Tribute and Chris Fenwick MBE gave a brief address.
Edward Crookes, Estate Director of the Englefield Estate, said: “Despite being unable to celebrate as we might have wanted, this year’s VE Day commemorations in Englefield Village will be remembered for many years to come. Residents raised a toast together as a piper played through the village, a poignant and powerful tribute to all of those who played their part in World War 2.
“Although we couldn’t physically be all together, the community spirit was very much present and it brought all our residents together, all the more important at such a difficult time.”
VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marks the day on which guns fell silent at the end of the war in Europe on May 8th, 1945. People took to the streets to celebrate, quickly organising street parties and other celebrations, something which streets across the country still do on the same day every year.