Central Library will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a special coffee morning on Thursday (8 May, 2025).

Staff will wear red, white and blue and there will be a display of Second World War related books and artefacts, plus a green screen for street party fun photographs – there may even be spontaneous wartime singing!  

The coffee morning runs from 10.30am to 1pm and all proceeds will be donated to Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Families Association.

The Library Service has also commissioned a special VE Day poem from Primary Poet Champion Florence Ehigie and her friend Zago Chinedu:

Victory in Europe, a day to celebrate,
Where people gather on eighth of May.
All the wars are fully gone,
Because the soldiers faced it headstrong.

After fighting Nazi Germany,
We now live with peace eternally.
War has ended, no more fights,
Peace is here, shining bright,
When Europe won the fight.

Peace and harmony all the way,
This is truly a beautiful day.
Praise those who won for us,
For they will be glorious.

We will remember this honoured day,
Where people will always shout 'Hooray!'
This is a glorious day for,
Those who don't have to fight anymore.