VE80 is a shared moment of celebration on the 8th May 2025 - the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe. It will commemorate the Allied Force accepting Germany's unconditional surrender in World War ll.
We will pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the entire Second World War generation from British, Commonwealth and Allied Forces to evacuees and those served on the home front.
There are six key strands to the VE Day Commemoration:
- A service of celebration - Thursday 8th May
- The lighting of Beacons across South Ayrshire - Thursday 8th May
- An art installation celebrating those who lost lives in WWII — 1st to 10th May. This will include a minimum of 108 silhouette figures (as in the Standing with Giants installations) linked to the stories of the fallen from South Ayrshire who lost their lives in the conflict.
- Community activities and street parties - Thursday 8th May
- A Schools competition to raise awareness of VE day and its local connections — Nov 2024 to March 2025
- Blanket of Poppies - an opportunity for younger school pupils to participate in the commemoration.
Tuesday 6thMay 2025
A lively and engaging collection of songs with a mix of genres and styles. Tonight’s songs include wartime singalong, nostalgia songs and melodies that have stood the test of time, crossing generations, still popular today.
7.15pm Wednesday 7thMay 2025
Local vocalist, Beatrice Clark, will take you back to the golden days, a time when music played a major role in raising the spirits of Britain. She will cover elements of The Andrews Sisters, Vera Lynn, and uplifting songs of the Big Bands.
8.45pm Thursday 8th May 2025
Lead by Reverend David Gemmell, Minister of Ayr’s most historic church, and Bishop of Galloway, Frank Dougan, this most important ceremony will take place at Wellington Square, as thousands attending services across the nation will be, culminating with, at exactly 9.30pm, the lighting of the ‘Beacon of Peace’.
7.15pm Friday 9th May 2025
Members of The Ayr Salvation Army Band will play a selection of their tunes for your entertainment. Salvationists visited the homes of departed soldiers to look into the welfare of their dependants and comforted many bereaved families. The Salvation Army's most visible wartime effort was assisting repatriated soldiers.
7.15pm Saturday 10th May 2025
Singing the final concert is a multi-award-winning classical crossover international soprano described as ‘The Girl with Golden Voice’. Nicola Cassells is a naturally gifted award-winning classical singer from Ayr and has made a name for herself performing at many events across the UK and internationally.
Arthur Blaike Purvis
"Purvis was a grievous loss, as he held so many British, American, and Canadian threads in his hands" - Winston Churchill