Themed decorations, memorabilia on display and big screen showings of iconic episodes of Dad’s Army and ‘Allo ‘Allo - with special permission given by the writers’ families – will be followed by Lighting a Beacon and Lamp of Peace before joining the rest of the country in singing I Vow to Thee My Country.
Pauline Johnson, Chair of the Community Shop says: "After the great success of our three-day celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we decided VE Day would be a good opportunity to bring the community together for a fun evening of dressing up, old-time laughs and to celebrate peace in our time – particularly as it seems more fragile and precious than ever.
"We did extensive research to find out how the villages – Aston on Clun, Broome and Hopesay itself – celebrated in May 1945, but nothing seems to be documented. Village Shops and Halls are still the heart of rural communities today and play important roles in bringing people together, so it is a privilege to be able to mark this milestone anniversary in a similar way to what we imagine happened on the original VE Day.
"We are decorating the Hall, encouraging people to dress up 1940s style and to bring their own picnic, while we provide the entertainment, a cash bar, snacks, and cakes made by our local Womens’ Institute. The evening ends with the sounding of the All Clear."