Newquay marks VE Day 80 with ceremonies, song and reflection

Commemorations are taking place across the country today to mark 80 years since VE Day.

A national two-minute silence will be observed at midday, as people across the UK pause to remember the sacrifices made during the war.

Here in Newquay, the community is coming together for a day of remembrance and reflection, beginning this morning with a flag-raising ceremony at St Michael’s Church. The event, organised by Newquay Town Council, started at 8:45am and was followed by the reading of the national proclamation. Attendees were then invited back to the Town Council offices for refreshments.

Wreath-laying ceremonies are also taking place throughout the day - one in Nansledan and another at the town’s War Memorial - as residents pay tribute to the local men and women who served and sacrificed.

Later tonight, Newquay Male Voice Choir is inviting residents to a special open rehearsal at St Michael’s Church from 8:30pm. As part of the national programme of commemorations, the choir will lead a community singalong featuring well-known songs from the 1940s. At 9:30pm, they’ll join choirs across the country in singing ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’. Veterans, their families and friends are especially welcome, but the invitation is open to all.

Newquay Veterans will also be holding a late wreath-laying ceremony at 9:30pm, and the wider public is encouraged to join.

And in honour of the historic occasion, pub opening hours have been extended - meaning residents can raise a glass to the past until 1am.

A Look Back at 1945

How did Newquay mark the end of the war in Europe back in 1945?

Len Shepard from the Newquay Old Cornwall Society has been delving into the archives at Newquay Museum to find out. He says the town held a parade through the streets to celebrate victory, and the local community rallied together after years of hardship.

During the war, many of Newquay’s hotels were repurposed to house evacuees, and others - like the Headland Hotel - were used as convalescent homes for war-wounded soldiers. The town’s familiar buildings played a vital role far beyond tourism during the conflict.

▶️ PRESS PLAY to hear Len Shepard share more about Newquay’s wartime history...