TOGETHERNESS and community spirit will be the abiding feature of the 75th anniversary celebrations of VE Day in North Yorkshire this week.

To mark the end of the appalling conflict which claimed so many lives and turned Europe into a battleground the county is calling on people to reflect on the spirit of that time and the relevance it has today.

On Friday, May 8, major celebrations to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe have had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. But organisers say they are more relevant than ever and virtual events are planned across the county, particularly through libraries.

The chairman of North Yorkshire county council, councillor Jim Clark said the importance of honouring the day is paramount.

He added: "This anniversary was never just about looking back at something that happened 75 years ago, and the situation in which we find ourselves today makes that even more pertinent.

"Then, as now, it is about community spirit. The theme of Holocaust Day this year was Stand Together. While we can’t do that physically, we can in spirit. We can stand together in remembrance and thanksgiving, against hatred and prejudice and for building stronger communities.

"I encourage people in towns and villages across North Yorkshire to take time to reflect and to remember this in their own way."

Alternative events planned include the county's Music Service inviting children that were to sing in a 400 strong choir to record themselves singing along at home to We’ll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover. The recordings will be edited into a video to be posted on the County Council’s social media channels over the coming weekend.

Intergenerational events showcasing memories of VE Day are going onto library websites and the County Record Office has compiled an online collection recalling VE Day and wartime on the home front in North Yorkshire. Cllr Clark will be giving a virtual reading at Ripon Cathedral VE Day service at 11am on May 8 with Dr John Sentamu the Archbishop of York and the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Jo Ropner.The Dishforth Military Wives Choir and Black Dyke Band will also take part online.

A video archive of reminiscences of those who lived through the war by students at Harrogate High School has been created with interviews with Arek Hersh, a survivor of Auschwitz and Sheila Pantin who was involved in the liberation of the Bergen Belsen camp.

"VE Day was a time of hope for the future and this anniversary should be the same," said Cllr Clark. "I am very much looking forward and want to concentrate on young people. A lot of work has been done in terms of organising concerts and street parties and these efforts will not be wasted. We will go ahead with these things after we get through this pandemic.

"This may be a time for young people to reflect on and record their experiences of living through this. While it is not a war, it is a different situation and requires the same spirit of fortitude and community."