11/05/2025
Press Release:
The VE Day 80th Anniversary celebration at Victoria Park on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, was a major success, drawing over 5,000 attendees throughout the day. The free, family-friendly event marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day, commemorating the end of World War II in Europe.
The event was officially opened by Town Crier Adrian Basford, who introduced His Worshipful The Mayor of Stafford Borough, Cllr Frank James and Lady Mayoress Sarah Peters. At 12:15 PM, Dance Fusion took the stage, offering a fantastic display to kick off the afternoon’s entertainment.
To mark the profound occasion at 3pm a moving rendition of The Last Post played by Connor, a bugler from Stafford Brigades Youth Band, Churchill's speech was played and Town Crier Adrian Basford made a proclamation before leading a minute's silence. Pippa Attwood led the crowd in singing the National Anthem marking a significant moment of unity and reflection.
The vocal entertainment led by The All Women Choir with Pippa Attwood with a selection of show tunes, Neil Mason who performance of classic swing tunes that had the crowd singing along, The Bluebird Belles ended the event with a medley of wartime songs that brought the house down
In addition to the musical acts, a range of interactive activities kept attendees busy. 395 (Stafford) Squadron presented a flight simulator, while Stafford & Rugeley Sea Cadets provided stand-up paddle-boarding and STEM activities. The Staffordshire Regiment Association hosted an airsoft range and the Royal British Legion Stafford Branch promoted remembrance and collected donations for VE/VJ Day and Poppy commemoration badges alongside Oxleathers MCC who even brought their fantastic motorbikes along.
Several fundraising stalls were set up throughout the day, including CCPA, Staffordshire Women's Aid, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Boyces Bridge, to name just a few. These stalls raised funds for various charitable causes while providing an opportunity for the community to support these vital organisations.
Local businesses were well-represented with exhibition stands, and several ran out of stock due to the high demand from attendees.
"We are very pleased with how the day went and are thankful to everyone who came along and played a part in making it a success," said Lorraine Conkey, event organiser. "It was a fantastic occasion for people to come together, reflect on the sacrifices made during the war, and celebrate the peace we now enjoy. We’re grateful for the support we received from everyone involved."
Stu Haycock from Vibe 1 Radio hosted the proceedings with Bellway Homes was the sponsor for the event
Bellway West Midlands Sales Director Marie Richards said: “Supporting community events which bring people together is very important to us.
“We are currently building homes on the former General Electric site in Stafford – at Victoria Gate and also under our sister brand Ashberry Homes at Victoria Place – so we were very happy to support the VE Day event in the town. We hope our donation of £1,000 towards running the family day that took place at Victoria Park on Saturday helped make it a great success.
“Remembering and celebrating such a significant date in our history is very meaningful and we hope everyone enjoyed being part of the events which took place to mark the anniversary.”.
The VE Day 80th Anniversary celebration proved to be a memorable occasion for Stafford, and with such a fantastic turnout, LR Partnership Events already has more events in the pipeline. The next few are:
Stafford Music & Food Festival on 6th June in the Market Square
Party on the Pitch charity fundraiser at Stafford Town Football Club on 14th June
Eccleshall Festival and Street Market on 28th June
Everyone is welcome to attend.
For more details or to book a stall, contact Nikki at [email protected]
