WW2 veterans urged to come forward now to mark 80th anniversary of victory

[WE Branch Fanatic]

National Theatre film and Imperial War Museums bring Second World War stories to a new generation as part of VE Day 80 plans

Today, Wednesday 12 March, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced a programme of activity to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

In addition to four days of events and celebrations to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe, additional activities will include a new film, a national call out for the public to look for letters written during the war, an immersive AR experience and resources for every school in the country.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a new film will be released, telling the stories of young people as they looked ahead to a future free from conflict.

The education and community programme is designed to give every young person in the country the opportunity to engage with veterans and hear first hand testimony of the impact of war.
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Film and performance:

• Following the huge success of National Theatre’s ‘War Horse’ production that brought the horrors of the First World War to a new generation, a new film, ‘The Next Morning’ will focus on the hopes, dreams and ambitions of young people after the Second World War and what this means for young people today.
• Written by multi-award-winning stage and screen writer and creator of the Olivier Award-winning play Dear England, James Graham, the ten-minute film will take inspiration from archive materials to reflect the hopes that young people had for themselves and their country in 1945. Produced by the National Theatre with funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ‘The Next Morning’ will be released online for the VE Day anniversary on 8th May 2025.
• Schoolchildren across the UK will be encouraged to delve into their own family history to discover the letters sent by their ancestors and relatives to loved ones during the Second World War. As part of IWM’s Letters to Loved Ones campaign, these first-hand testimonies could include soldiers on the front line, men, women and children on the home front; or relatives who contributed to Britain’s war effort from the British Empire and Commonwealth countries.
• At a special VE Day event at IWM North on 7 May, jointly produced by IWM and the National Theatre, some of the letters that the public submit will become part of a performance along with high profile public figures sharing letters from the IWM collection and excerpts from ‘The Next Morning’. Members of the public can potentially have their family story included by sharing letters on the Government’s VE/VJ Day website before Monday 14 April.

Resources for schools:​

• A national programme of activity for school children also kicks off today with resources available for every UK primary and secondary school in the country from a range of partners. The Royal British Legion is launching a range of downloadable resources that will be available to all schools across the United Kingdom to help teachers across the nation plan activities in classrooms to mark VE Day.
• This will include a special film produced by the RBL entitled ‘I’ll Remember: Discovering the stories of VE and VJ Day 80’ with veterans reflecting on their wartime experiences, and young people visiting communities to learn more about the impact and legacy of the Second World War in modern Britain. A digital time capsule of VE Day stories from Second World War veterans will be created, intended to be opened 80 years from now in 2105, so future generations can remember the service and sacrifice of those who fought for our freedoms. In addition, BAFTA award-winning musician Simon Haw MBE has composed a song, I’ll Remember, for pupils to sing during VE Day school assemblies.
• In addition, letters, sound testimony, film and photographs from IWM’s collection will be shared with schools in order to help children and young people understand the history and legacy of the Second World War – and why it’s still so relevant today.
• The National Theatre will run a year-long schools engagement programme responding to the events of VE and VJ Day and this significant period of the UK’s history. The schools engagement programme for Key Stages 3 and 4 will be delivered as part of a nationwide tour of Dear England. Inspired by Gareth Southgate’s ‘Dear England’ open letter he wrote to England fans in 2021, this creative project will collect and share the hopes that young people have for themselves and for young people in 2105, 80 years’ from now.

National tours and engagement opportunities:​

• An immersive augmented reality experience will give everyone in the country the opportunity to experience first-hand some of the most iconic images of VE Day. Launching in April, Atlantic Productions will bring colourised images to life through the voices of those who experienced it.
• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) will run more than 150 mobile exhibitions travelling across the UK and a number of global commemorative sites to the Pacific, highlighting the stories of those who fought in the Second World War. CWGC is inviting members of the public to explore important history and connect by sharing their own personal stories. The Torch of Peace will be at the heart of the tour and act as an enduring symbol, honouring the contributions made by individuals, and as a baton to pass and share stories to future generations.
• In addition, funding from the National Lottery Community Fund Awards For All programme is available for organisations to bid for grants to host events, activities and projects to mark VE Day.
• DCMS is also launching Tip Top Towns, a programme to encourage communities across the country - whether towns, villages or cities - to get together with their communities ahead of Monday 5 May when the nation will come together for street parties to celebrate VE Day. Members of the public are encouraged to get in the VE Day spirit by making their own decorations, planting flowers, encouraging children to draw pictures for their windows or hosting arts and craft sessions.