Socially distanced street parties and Lindy Hop in the front room: How to celebrate VE Day from home

On Friday it will be 75 years since Brits up and down the country were pouring onto the streets to celebrate the end of the Second World War. Today, with the spread of coronavirus, things look a little different. People are locked down at home, and plans to celebrate the anniversary in public have been shelved. 

But there are still ways you can mark the day at home and celebrate with others. Charities have shifted their plans to take in the new situation and to recognise the contribution that today’s soldiers are making in the fight against Covid-19.

Pause to remember

The Royal British Legion is encouraging people to pause for a two-minute silence at 11am to remember those who fought in the Second World War and reflect on the impact of Covid-19.

From 11.15am, the charity is hosting a livestream video session presented by Sonali Shah which will share memories from World War Two. Contributors will include historian Julie Summers and cook Melissa Helmsley.

The charity has lots of resources on its website for those who want to learn more, which you can find here.

Go to a concert (virtually)

Before “All This” the SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, had organised a concert to mark the day. Unfortunately, it's no  longer going ahead as planned. Instead, Katherine Jenkins will be taking to the stage of an empty Royal Albert Hall for a live streamed performance - the first concert behind closed doors in the venue’s history. Jenkins will also perform a virtual duet with Dame Vera Lynn.

It will be available at 6pm on the Royal Albert Hall’s website. Viewers are encouraged to make a donation to the charity, which can be done by text.

For those who had already bought a ticket, they will be able to attend another concert at a later date, details of which can be found here.

Host a “street” party

The day was originally planned to be celebrated with street parties up and down the country, which are now not going ahead for obvious reasons. But you can still hold a coronavirus-safe street party if you have access to a front garden. Local communities are making their own arrangements to get neighbourhoods together while still sticking to distancing rules.

Check if your street is following its own plan. A leaflet making the rounds on social media is suggesting bringing picnic blankets and afternoon tea into your front garden after a Churchill speech is shown on television at 3pm.    Remember not to go into other people’s front gardens, and to stay at least two metres away from people not in your household.

Dance

On VE Day in 1945, people flocked out onto the streets and danced with sheer joy. If you would like to follow in their dance steps, the Royal British Legion Industries is recommending you give the Lindy Hop a go - a type of swing dancing that was popular in the 1940s. They have a sheet of dance steps available on their website for you to try. They also hosted a live Lindy Hop lesson on their Facebook page, which can be accessed here.

Decorate the house

Many people have turned to crafts to keep them occupied during lockdown. For VE Day, children and adults alike can get involved in making decorations for the house. BBC Radio is encouraging people to make “Great British Bunting” with a simple pattern on their site that you can use with the most basic of materials around the house, and things from the recycling bin.

If you prefer your decorations off-the-shelf, then Royal British Legion Industries is running a “Tommy in the Window” campaign, to get people to display a silhouette of a World War Two soldier. You can buy them from their website for £4.95 to £33.

Cook something

Victory in Europe didn’t mean the war had ended in the kitchen. Rationing continued for almost another decade, meaning that people couldn’t necessarily celebrate with a big feast. Some things that were rationed, like eggs and flour, are also difficult to get hold of at the moment, so it might be a fitting time to make something authentic.

Our writer found some of the best recipes here.

Play video games

A full 24 hours of gaming is planned from 11am on Friday to raise money for Help for Heroes. Army veteran Corporal Paul Colling is leading the challenge as part of the charity’s Hero Up campaign that encourages people to do sponsored gaming.

You can follow along Corporal Colling’s efforts on Twitch, or take part in your own gaming marathon.

Follow along on television

If lockdown is keeping your energy levels low, then you could just follow along the fun on television. The BBC has special programmes running for much of the day, and ITV is showing a documentary about Captain Tom Moore’s time in the War.

For a full guide, click here.