The residents of Wickham Hill in Hurstpierpoint decided to host a Stay at Home Street Party on Friday 8th May, as handmade flyers asked homeowners to decorate houses in red, white and blue - and then head to front gardens for 4pm.
Thank you to Catherine Tong for sending in these photos of the celebrations - albeit rather different from those that would have been planned just a couple of months ago.
With planned VE Day events now not taking place, MSDC are compiling a virtual tribute
While current social distancing measures are in place it will not be possible for street parties to take place at the moment, so Mid Sussex District Council is calling for submissions for a virtual memory bank to help commemorate VE Day. Tributes and photos, memories, songs and stories of VE Day and what it means will be merged into a showreel and presented on the Council’s digital platforms. Recordings of ‘We’ll Meet Again’ can also be sent to form the soundtrack to the presentation.
Earlier in the year MSDC provided grants to commemorate VE Day; but given the current national and international situation these events won’t take place at this time. The Council will of course be honouring our grant commitments when recipients feel they are in a position to mark the many sacrifices made and to commemorate the end of WWII.
Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said: “This is an important commemoration and we want to do everything we can to ensure it is marked. Somehow it is even more relevant, as we all recognise the bonds of friendship and community we are experiencing anew, that we commemorate those who gave so much at that time”.
Please send photos and poems for Mid Sussex Virtual VE Day to comms@midsussex.gov.uk or via the Council’s Facebook channel. You can upload film or songs to a special form at www.midsussex.gov.uk/VE2020
Deadline for submissions in Monday 4th May 2020. MSDC cannot guarantee all will be used but the team will try to use as many as possible. Before submitting you must ensure you have permission for any items to be displayed publicly.
reMEmber, the Hurstpierpoint/Hassocks based charity which helps people who have ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) has events taking place this month.
A VE Day Anniversary Dance takes place at Danny House, Saturday 9th May 7.30pm. Dance or listen to the Glenn Miller Big Band Sound with Michael Gverny, Jo Kimber and Helen Bartlett. Sponsored by Mishon Mackay. Tickets £20 (includes light supper) from Mishon Mackay or the Mint House. Or by post from reMEmber.
Then, later in the month, the ME Awareness Conference is on at Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill, Saturday 30th May at 2pm. Key speakers are Dr Charles Shepherd (medical adviser to the ME Association), Dr Clare McDermott on research and her work with severely affected patients, and Sue Luscombe, dietician, on irritable bowel syndrome and helpful diets. Tickets £3 available from reMEmber.
reMEmber has always operated from Hurstpierpoint and our focus has always been on local adults and children who have the disease. However, we immediately attracted interest from patients all over Sussex and beyond.
Also available on page 26.
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