Trefin and the surrounding communities are hosting a wide range of events on Thursday May 8th, culminating in the lighting of a beacon to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day.
The local celebrations will largely mirror those events occurring throughout the UK at the same time, that commemorate the end of WWII in Europe on May 8th.
The programme for May 8th will start in the centre of the village at 9am with the reading of the VE 80 Day proclamation “Together We Stand” followed by raising the unique VE 80 Day flag uniting the nation remembering the sacrifices made by so many millions of people in WWII.
At 12 noon in Trefin Square piper LCpl Spencer from Cawdor Barracks will play a tune especially written for the occasion entitled ‘Celebratum’.
Llanrhian Church bell will ring out at 6.30pm in unison with other participating cathedrals and churches in Wales and throughout the UK.
In Trefin Square, also at 6.30 pm, our Lamp Light of Peace will be blessed and there will be hand bells rung by adults and children who will be “dressed” for the occasion. The best costumes will be awarded a prize.
The early evening celebrations will take place in The Ship Inn, Trefin. A fish and chip supper will be available (prior booking and paying is essential) and there will be displays of various wartime memorabilia.
We will proceed from The Ship Inn to North End and the field known as Penlac overlooking the coast to continue the celebrations at approximately 8pm. There will be the official Women’s Institute VE 80 Day Orange and Ginger cake to try! Warm clothing recommended!
Music reminiscent of the time will be played and the local community choir, Cor y Felin, will lead the singing of a number of well-known war time songs.
Representatives of each decade since the end of the war, will read the VE 80 Day Global Tribute alongside others around the world. We will honour those that did not return home with a minute’s silence and a bugler will play the Last Post and Reveille followed by the piper playing “Flowers of the Forest”.
Prior to the lighting of the Beacon at 9.30pm we will join nearly 1000 choirs across the UK in singing the hymn “I Vow to Thee My Country”.
Our Coastal Beacon is part of the Official Chain of beacons around the UK and the World (in their own time zones). Our “Lamplight of Peace” will also be lit at 9.30pm along with other lanterns around the UK and beyond.
For those that wish – we will return to The Ship Inn to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Everyone is welcome to join in across the day and the organisers encourage you to dress appropriately in war time style clothing. There will be a prize for the best dressed person.
Events are organised by The Gwelliant Trefin Improvement Group (GTI) and Llanrhian Connected Community.
