THE clock tower of Barrow’s magnificent Town Hall is to be illuminated in red, white and blue in celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
The special event - which takes place on Friday, May 8 - will mark three quarters of a century since the Allied Forces brought World War II to an end in Europe.
A series of national celebrations planned for the bank holiday have been scaled back following the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus and new regulations surrounding lockdown.
However, in Barrow, the Town Hall’s clocktower will be lit in red, white and blue from Thursday evening to mark the historical event.
The Union Flag will also be flown from the Grade II-listed structure from Thursday until Monday.
Councillor Anita Husband said: “May 8th 75 years ago was a very significant day for the entire world as it marked the end of the war in Europe.
“So many people made the ultimate sacrifice to secure this peace and bring about an end to the war.
“We may not be able to mark this anniversary in the way we wanted to because of the ongoing pandemic, as it's essential we maintain social distancing regulations to help keep everyone in our communities safe from harm.
“But that doesn’t mean we can’t record the day in other ways, safely in our own homes.”
Residents are encouraged to decorate their windows in the colours red, white and blue, making sure they maintain social distancing at all times - or perhaps hold a tea party at home with members of their household.
At 11am on Friday, May 8, the Royal British Legion is encouraging people to take part in a two minute silence at home to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
While later, residents can join the ‘Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of WW2’ at 3pm by raising a glass from the safety of their own homes while extracts from Sir Winston Churchill’s famous victory speech are broadcast.
HM The Queen will also mark the occasion with a message to the nation at 9pm on BBC One, the exact moment her father, King George VI, gave a radio address in 1945.
This will be followed by a national singalong of Dame Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again. It is hoped the public will open their doors to allow the sounds to be carried down streets and across neighbourhoods.
A number of resources to help people celebrate and decorate their homes and windows, including bunting, colouring pictures and VE Day posters, are available to download and print from the website https://ve-vjday75.gov.uk/
Cllr Husband added: “Turning our Town Hall clock red, white and blue is a fitting tribute to VE Day, and residents can be assured the Union Flag will be flying high as well.
“While we can’t gather together as a community or enjoy street parties with neighbours, there are a number of other ways we can mark this occasion. In particular, I hope people have fun making decorations for their windows or baking cakes for an afternoon tea.
“We may be physically apart from one another at this time, but as a borough and as a nation we can stand together from the safety of home to mark this anniversary which represents such an important moment in our history.”