Rugby remembers on the 75th anniversary of VE Day

The nation comes together next week to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, when the guns finally fell silent and the curtain came down on the conflict in Europe.

While the original plans to mark the milestone on Friday 8 May have been cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the nation has been encouraged to commemorate VE Day at home and pay tribute to the thousands who died during the Second World War.

And Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has a host of ideas and information to help residents mark the 75th anniversary safely at home and share the experience on social media.

The Art Gallery and Museum's VE Day 75 online portal includes authentic Second World War recipes for picnic treats such as potato scones and Marmite biscuits, and crafty instructions to create VE Day pom-poms, Union Jack flags and a commemorative poster.

The portal also invites visitors to take a trip down memory lane, with archive photographs of Rugby's VE Day celebrations in 1945 and items from the Museum's social history collection, including ration book food coupons and Government advice on air raid precautions.

And the Art Gallery has delved into the Rugby Collection of contemporary art to display paintings commissioned during the Second World War by the War Artists Committee, pieces which were donated to Rugby in 1947 by the Imperial War Museum.

Sally Godden, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's senior learning and outreach officer, said: "VE Day was a time for the nation to remember the sacrifices made by so many during the Second World War and look forward to a brighter, better future, living in peace.

"It's important the nation comes together again to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day at a time when the country faces a very different challenge.

"And while we cannot join together in person to mark this milestone, we want to help Rugby share the experience and join our online commemoration."

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's VE Day 75 online portal can be found on the website at www.ragm.co.uk

Residents can share photographs of VE Day commemorations via the Art Gallery and Museum's social media channels, using #VEDay75:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/artsinrugby

Instagram - www.instagram.com/rugby_gallery

Twitter - @RugbyGallery