On Thursday 8th May, from 2pm-4:30pm, Care UK’s Sandfields, on St George’s Road, is welcoming local people to honour the 80th anniversary of VE Day with its very own 1940s-themed street party.

VE Day was celebrated on 8th May 1945, after Prime Minister Winston Churchill made an announcement on the radio that the war in Europe had come to an end. This emotional news sparked celebrations across the country, with many taking to the streets for spontaneous parties.

At Sandfields, the team has been hard at work organising their own special commemorative event.

Guests will be able to enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, entertainment and dancing as they embrace the spirit of the 1940s, with entertainment provided by Timeless Tunes – the perfect opportunity for a singalong.

Residents at Sandfields have been working on an art project ahead of the event that will be on display at the home at the VE Day celebration, where their memories of the poignant day have been written down and turned into a collage. The Royal British Legion will also be in attendance to give a talk on their memories of VE Day and how the Legion has supported the community. The Head Chef will also prepare some delicious Union Jack cakes, while drinks will be flowing in the home’s very own bar.

88-year-old resident, Cynthia Parsbo, said: “VE Day is important because everyone wanted to share that the War was over and happier times were ahead of them. The spirit of everyone coming together to share what we had was very important especially for those who had lost a lot. Even though I was young, my memory was of being so happy and fortunate that my father was coming home.” 

Malaika Charles, Home Manager at Sandfields, said: “We’re passionate about building and maintaining relationships within our community here at Sandfields, so we’re pleased to be opening our doors to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day for a special day of sharing memories and a fabulous street party. 

“Reminiscence activities are a great way for older people, especially those living with dementia, to connect with those around them and help maintain a sense of identity, so creating our collage of residents’ memories of VE Day has been really wonderful.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming our friends and neighbours into Sandfields for a day to remember.” 

Sandfields is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The care home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Sandfields, contact Home Manager Malaika Charles on 01242 801867 or email malaika.charles@careuk.com

For general information, please visit careuk.com/sandfields