Celebrate VJ Day in North Kesteven

Victory over Japan Day marks the surrender of Japan forces, which in effect ended the Second World War.

Organised by the Sleaford and District Branch of The Royal British Legion, the event at Sleaford Market Place will start at 10am at the War Memorial with the Proclamation read by the Town Crier. During the service, wreaths will be laid on the War Memorial by the Branch President and Chairman and Civic Dignitaries, including district council Vice Chairman Coun Christine Collard.

RAF Stations are being asked to send small static groups, along with the RAF and Army Cadet Units.

After the Sleaford service, the branch will also be holding a reception in the Legionnaires Club on Southgate, which is open to all with funding support from the district council’s dedicated community funding of up to £500 for VE and VJ Day commemorations.

Also funded by the district council is a short parade and wreath laying in Billinghay, held by Billinghay and District Branch Royal British Legion. Again, they will be followed by a community tea and 1940s entertainment, with 1940s dress competition, poetry readings and a projected presentation of images from VJ Day.

Already, using a council grant to provide refreshments, Ewerby and Evedon Parish Meeting held a community tea with bake-off event and themed quiz on Sunday, August 10.

These funded community events are additional to seven held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day in May.

Elsewhere across the District there’s:

• A flag raising ceremony on North Hykeham Village Green on Friday, August 15. Arrive by 11.55am for two-minute silence at 12pm
• Live music and BBQ at the Turks Head Pub, Heighington, on Friday, August 15 from 6pm
• 80th anniversary commemorative event at Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre, on Sunday, August 24 from 10am – 4pm, with Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast, displays of military vehicles, reenactors displays and entry to the museum’s Dakota. Adult entry £10. https://www.metheringhamairfield.co.uk
• Ongoing to September 7 at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick the usual displays, memorial spire, and peace gardens with a special poppy installation featuring the outline of a Lancaster Bomber and veteran anecdotes relating to VE and VJ Days. https://internationalbcc.co.uk/
• Ongoing at Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum, North Rauceby. Displays of RAF history and the current exhibition relating to Women in Air Force Blue. Open 10am to 3pm Friday to Monday. https://www.heartoflincs.com/things_to_do/cranwell-aviation-heritage-museum/

There is a national two-minute silence on Friday at 12pm. A Service of Remembrance will be broadcast live on BBC1 from the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. This will include a special tribute to veterans involving 400 members of the Armed Forces, and the Waddington-based Red Arrows and historic aircraft from the county’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Council Leader Coun Richard Wright, said it was clear that the council’s small grants had made a significant difference in both initiating and broadening celebration events and activity, ensuring more people could participate in paying tribute to a generation of people who had contributed so much in the pursuit of freedom and peace.

“As we saw, VE Day 80 was a wonderful opportunity to come together in celebration of what we have in common, and to use the occasion to reach out to neighbours, friends and our wider communities, and VJ Day brings that opportunity again,” he said.

“For those community groups that applied and were eligible, the grants made all the difference in promoting, providing and putting-on inclusive and reflective activities and events in order that victory could be sensed again and tribute paid to all those who served in the Second World War; reflecting on the values that they were fighting for and to collaborate in joyful celebration of everything they secured through victory.”

Costs supported through the grants included venue hire, promotional materials, decorations, entertainment and the purchase of refreshments, but not alcohol, commemorative benches or structures.