Published: 13 May 2025
VE Day 80
On Thursday 8th May 2025 Hartwell Parish Council joined in with many national and local communities celebrating VE Day 80, the 80th Anniversary of the end of war in Europe.
At 9am on Thursday 8th our Chair Cllr Claire Williams read the proclamation and laid a wreath of remembrance at our War Memorial. Later that same day the entire community were invited to attend our joint event with Hartwell Community Centre. Fish and Chips, Ice Cream, tea, coffee and cake (and drinks from the James Dean Bar) were all enjoyed whilst listening to music from local performer Hayden Regan.
The end of our celebration was marked by lighting the beautiful beacon (hired especially for the occasion) at 9.30pm in line with rest of the country. Special thanks to Cllr Philip Weston who arranged the beacon and all that it entailed.
Bruno Peek the Kings pageant master explains the reason the beacon is lit.
“People from all walks of life who are unable to light beacons can take part by lighting a lamp light of peace, with the flames from the lamp lights and the beacons representing the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of war.
Beacons were one of the earliest forms of communication and were mainly used to spread warnings of danger, but people started to use them to celebrate historical events during the reign of Queen Victoria.
The other reason for the lamp light of peace is because, once they’ve been used for this occasion, they can then be used to commemorate the end of war.
So, they can also be relit on the 11th of November at 11am for many years to come, again in remembrance of those who sacrificed so much for our freedom.”
