VE Day 80th Anniversary events in Telford and Wrekin

Events are being held across the borough to mark the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

The Council will mark the occasion on Thursday 8 May:

  • 8.45am - Flag parade from the Remembrance Memorial Telford Town Park to Southwater 
  • 9am - Flag raising and short ceremony 
  • From 10am local school children will be singing and there’ll be exhibits of artwork on display in Southwater of the work from the Veteran Art Café, Models for Heroes, and the Community Hub.

The events listed below have been supported with a grant from the Council’s VE Day 80 Celebration Fund.  

Saturday 3 May 2025

Hollinswood & Randlay Parish Council - May Day and VE Day Celebrations

Sunday 4 May 2025

Gorge Film Club - Coalbrookdale WWII Casualties Trail

  • Between Sunday 4 May and Sunday 11 May
  • A self-guided walk (leaflet with information) round the seven houses where our WWII Casualties lived before they went to war
  • Pick up a free Trail Guide Leaflet in the bus shelter opposite the Coalbrookdale Community Centre, 2 Wellington Road TF8 7DX

Monday 5 May 2025

Gorge Film Club Film Screening with WWII afternoon tea: Life is Beautiful

  • 2.30pm
  • This Italian comedy-drama film features a father using his imagination to shield his son from the horrors of internment in a Nazi concentration camp. Italy, 1997, Director Roberto Benigni, 116 minutes, Cert 12A
  • £5 Pay on the door
  • Coalbrookdale Community Centre, 2 Wellington Road, TF8 7DX
  • Message the gorgefilmclub@gmail.com for more information

Waters Upton Parish VE Celebration Afternoon

Tuesday 6 May 2025

Parents Opening Doors (PODS) - Blossom and Bloom Tea Party

Wednesday 7 May 2025

Landau’s VE day Commemoration – Victory Tribute

Thursday 8 May 2025

Parents Opening Doors (PODS) - Crafts for parents and carers

St Georges Bench Unveiling

VE Day Memorial Bench opening and refreshments

  • 11am–1pm, bench reveal at 11.30am
  • Reveal of VE Day bench to include tea, coffee and cake, featuring the Virtual School Band.
  • Meeting Point House green space, Southwater Square, Telford, TF3 4HS

Veterans Lunch

YMCA VE80 Celebration

  • 11am-2.30pm
  • Serving our community like YMCA did in war time for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The local community is invited to engage with YMCA over tea, cakes, fish and chips and music. Old photographs and memorabilia from the YMCA England Archives will be on display to share the history of YMCA’s involvement in the war
  • Consort House, Victoria Avenue, Wellington, TF1 1NH – 11am start, 11.30am-12.30pm, warm drinks and a performance by The Ronnies, 11.45am fish and chips served
  • New College, King Street, Wellington, TF1 1NY – 1-2pm performance by The Ronnies, 1pm fish and chips and hot drinks, 2.30pm event ends

Special Armed Forces Community Café event and Beacon lighting

  • Dawley House, 22 Burton Street, Dawley, TF4 2ES

Wellington WW2 soldier board

  • Photographs of the men listed on the Lychgate killed in World War II will be mounted on permanent display
  • The Lychgate, All Saints Church, Wellington

Tibberton and St Lawrence schools: Celebrating 80 years of Victory in Europe

  • 1pm-8pm
  • Residents of Tibberton and the surrounding areas are invited to join in with our VE Day Celebrations, there will be various games, activities, music, dancing, moments of reflection, food and more to mark this moment in history
  • Community Field, school and Village Hall, Tibberton, Newport, TF10 8NN
  • More information can be found by calling the school office - a3109@taw.org.uk or 01952 387790 or by visiting the Tibberton Talk Facebook page

Priorslee Bench Unveiling

Telford & Wrekin CVS Outdoor Afternoon Tea

  • 4pm-6pm
  • Outdoor Afternoon Tea party to celebrate VE80 celebration day with children’s activities and entertainment.
  • Outdoor space – Telford Centre (Opposite Hazledine House – TF3 4JL)
  • Visit the Telford & Wrekin CVS website for more information, to book your place contact CVS on 01952 262062 or 01952 916109

CEIA VE Day 80th Anniversary

  • 4pm-7pm
  • Join CEIA in celebrating VE and VJ Day 80 and honour the bravery and sacrifice of the Second World War generation in defence of the freedoms we still enjoy to this day.
  • Early Bird Cafe, Wellington Train Station, Station Road, Wellington, TF1 1BY
  • Visit the CEIA Facebook page for more information

Wrockwardine Parish VE Day celebrations at The Village Hall

  • 5pm-9.30pm
  • Afternoon tea and Wrock cakes with traditional china tea service from 5pm. Bunting and flags, live Wartime songs and sing-a-long at 5.15pm, Skittle alley from 6.30pm, audio visual of News-casts from the time, free Barbecue for first 50 people (bring your own drinks), Bell Ringing at 6.30pm from the church’s newly accessible bell tower and finish with Wrekin Beacon at 9.30pm.
  • Wrockwardine Village Hall, 1 Station Road, Wrockwardine, Telford, TF6 5DZ
  • Visit the Wrockwardine Village Hall Facebook page for more information

Parents Opening Doors (PODS) - Family Fish and Chip Bingo

Newport's 80th VE Celebrations - Beacon Lighting 

Friday 9 May 2025

Telford & the Wrekin Citizens Advice Open Day and VE Day Celebrations

  • 10am-2.30pm
  • Drop in anytime for a tour of the new office, a look into what our volunteers and staff do. Grab a free tea or coffee from a vintage horsebox, a nod to one of the first bureaux that operated from a horse box and parked next to bombed areas during WW2, explore our history and connection to VE Day. Our doors are open for everyone to come together and commemorate VE Day in style.
  • Syer House, Suite 4, Stafford Park, Telford, TF3 3BD
  • Visit the Telford & the Wrekin Citizens Advice Facebook page for more information

Parents Opening Doors (PODS) - Cake decorating for parents and carers

VE 80th Lunch Belmont Community Hall

  • 1pm-3pm
  • Lunch followed by a video of VE and VJ Day celebrations, memorabilia display and entertainment
  • Collect tickets for the event on a Tuesday between 10am-12pm or a Friday all day 10am - 4pm
  • Belmont Community Hall, Tan Bank, Wellington, TF1 1LU
  • More information available on the Belmont Hall Facebook page

VE Day 80th Anniversary and Polish Heritage Days

  • 6pm
  • Special event featuring the screening of the powerful Polish film Last Witness by Piotr Szkopiak, followed by a Q&A session with the film's director. Also offering a delicious Polish cold buffet, featuring an array of traditional delicacies that represent the rich flavors of Polish cuisine. In addition, immerse yourself in the history of Poland with a special exhibition showcasing the nation's past. This event is part of the Polish Heritage Days - a series of cultural events dedicated to celebrating and sharing Polish traditions and history. Whether you're a film lover, history enthusiast, or simply curious about Polish culture, this evening promises a unique and enriching experience.
  • Tickets cost £5
  • Wellington Orbit Cinema, 1 Station Road, Wellington, TF1 1BY
  • Visit the Wellington Orbit webpage to purchase your ticket or the Facebook event listing by the Shropshire European Organisation CIC to find out more about the event

Saturday 10 May 2025

Commemorating Ironbridge Service Men and Women from the Second World War

Madeley Town Council VE Day Celebration

VE Day 80 Celebration - Entertainment and Street Party Wellington

  • 10am-3pm
  • A day of music and dance to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. Including Kerry Young 40’s singer, Tori Arts Lindy Hop dancers, the Apley Piper, Wellington (Telford) Brass Band, Whittingham Dance, complimentary chips, flags and cupcakes, vintage vehicles, RBL and 1130 Wrekin Squadron Air Training Corps
  • Market Square, Wellington, TF1 1BP
  • More information available on Wellington Town Council’s website

Newport's 80th VE Celebrations - Street Party

Parents Opening Doors (PODS) - Craft Session and Tea Party

  • 11am-1pm
  • Craft session for the children, making commemorative items such as bookmarks, mosaics, key chains and mini plates. There will be a finger buffet made up of food from the era and we hope to have some veterans join us.
  • Suggested donation of adults £5/children £3
  • Parents Opening Doors (PODS) Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford
  • More information and bookings available through PODS calendar of events

Lawley VE Day Street Party

Oakengates Town Council’s VE Day Picnic in the Park

  • 11am-3pm
  • Picnic in the Park event with live music, outdoor games, charitable stalls, and face painting. No booking required, turn up on the day
  • Hartshill Park, Hadley Road, Oakengates, TF2 6AJ
  • Find out more on Facebook or the Oakengates Town Council website

Great Dawley Street Party

VE80 at the Anstice

  • 12noon-3pm
  • Join us at The Anstice to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe! Our iconic ballroom and bar will be open for the community and your family to celebrate VE80 with free tea and cake and a live performance of wartime classics sung by Becky Gosling.
  • The Anstice, Anstice Square, Madeley, TF7 5BD
  • Visit The Anstice Facebook page

Culturekind Chinese Community VE Day 80: From War to Peace and Unity

  • 1pm-3.30pm
  • Come along for a day of remembrance, celebration, and togetherness, as we honour the past and look towards a future of peace and unity. VE Day exhibition work from children and presentation, guests can enjoy a rich and varied programme including traditional and contemporary Chinese dance, performances by multicultural choirs, a tea dance set to wartime music, and a chance to enjoy authentic Chinese afternoon tea. The celebration will also feature a showcase of the community’s “Dig for Victory” garden project, connecting past resilience with present-day sustainability.
  • CultureKind Chinese Community, Unit E4, Stafford Park 15, Telford, TF3 3BB
  • Reserve your place and visit the Culturekind Chinese Community Facebook page

Kushdil Afternoon Tea Party

  • 1pm-4pm
  • Welcome everyone in all communities to get together to celebrate VE Day for a joyful event, a fun day for all. Music, entertainment, speeches, history, refreshments, games, bouncy castle, face painting, chocolate fountain popcorn, candy floss & lots more
  • Hadley Community Cultural Centre, Hadley, TF1 5NG

Family Fun Day

  • 1pm-4pm
  • The residents of Preston and children (and parents and friends) who attend St Lawrence C of E School in Preston are invited to the Ringing of the Church Bells at 1pm, display of memorabilia and memories from residents, a Treasure Hunt around the village and Music.
  • St Lawrence C of E School, Preston upon the Weald Moors, Telford, TF6 6DH

High Ercall Village Hall VE Day Afternoon Celebrations

  • 2pm-5pm
  • A 1940s celebration of the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe Day, Live music from Moonlight Serenade, 1940s theme family quiz, face painting for children, tea and cakes, prize for best 1940s dressed person, licenced bar, no entry charge
  • High Ercall Village Hall, TF6 6BB
  • Visit the High Ercall Village Hall Facebook page for more information

The Little Theatre Donnington - Lest We Forget - VE 80 Celebration

  • 6.30pm
  • Family fun event to celebrate VE80 DAY. There will be popular songs from the era, Poems and heartfelt stories of past heroes. With a special guest appearance of ‘Dad’s Army’ from the 'Belfy Theatre’ it’s sure to be a great evening for all the family. So come along, sign along and wave a patriotic flag and be thoroughly entertained by your friends at The Little Theatre Donnington
  • Tickets cost £5
  • The Little Theatre Donnington, Wellington Road, TF2 8AW
  • Visit the Little Theatre Donnington website for more information and to book your ticket

Celebration event for residents 65+

  • Arleston Community Centre, St. Giles Close, Arleston, TF1 2AB

Sunday 11 May 2025

VE Day 80 Commemoration at Siri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurdwara Telford

  • 10am-1pm
  • A commemorative event marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, featuring an educational display of Sikh soldiers' contributions in both World Wars, a library showcase, guest musicians, and hands-on activities for families. The event aims to celebrate and remember the role of Sikh soldiers in history while providing a fun and educational experience for the community.
  • Siri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurdwara Telford, Whitechapel Way, Priorslee, TF2 9FN
  • Visit the Siri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurdwara Telford

RNA afternoon tea party to celebrate 80th anniversary VE day

  • 2pm-5pm
  • Afternoon tea party
  • Newport Royal Naval Association, Bellmans Yard, High Street, Newport, TF10 7AJ
  • For more information contact the branch chair Nigel Mellor on 07427 159476 or nigeljohnmellor@btinternet.com

Gorge Film Club Film Screening with Fish and Chip supper: A Real Pain

  • 7.30pm
  • A comedy-drama film in which mismatched cousins reunite for a Jewish Heritage tour through Poland in honour of their late grandmother. US, 2024, Director Jesse Eisenberg, 90 minutes, Cert 15
  • Tickets cost £7.50
  • Coalbrookdale Community Centre, 2 Wellington Road, TF8 7DX
  • Reserve your place (essential) at gorgefilmclub@gmail.com   

Thursday 13 May 2025

Ketley Bank Dementia Support Group

  • 10.30am-12.30pm
  • Available for current members of Telford Dementia Support Groups, these groups support people living with dementia and their carers. The VE Day session will include themed musical entertainment, a fish and chip lunch, union jack tableware and decorations, as well as small activities and reminiscence for members.
  • Frizes Leasowe Retirement Living Scheme, Ketley Bank, TF2 0EY

Saturday 17 May 2025

Telford and Wrekin Interfaith Council Celebrating VE80 Day

Monday 19 May 2025

Age UK St Georges Day Centre VE80 Celebration with Kerry’s Nostalgic Music

  • 10.30am-1pm
  • Entertainment from a singer with songs from the forties to sing along to followed by a two course meal and a VE80 Cake.
  • Available to members of the Day Centre or residents of Turnpike Court.
  • Age UK St Georges Day Centre held at Turnpike Court Retirement Living