VE Day street parties brought communities together on Friday as families decorated houses with flags, made food and socialised out on their street.
Although still social distancing neighbourhoods across Oxfordshire held street parties on Friday May 8 to celebrate VE Day and many sent in pictures of their decorations to the Oxford Mail.
Jenny Cox sent in some snaps of the celebrations in Netherwoods Road, Risinghurst, Oxford. Neighbours celebrated by bringing their picnic tables out into their front gardens.
Read also: Police are hunting for driver who smashed into cyclist and didn't even stop
The Parsons family are pictured outside their house joining the celebrations with their afternoon tea spread.
The street party had 40s music and after the Last Post was played the residents raised their glasses for a toast.
Ms Cox said: “Lots of residents stayed out till dark, as isolation had meant several people had not seen their neighbours since lockdown.”
Yoko Ono owns a Japanese food catering business called Sakana Oxford and decided to put her culinary skills to good use and create a delicious and special Union Jack sushi.
Read also: Cocktail-to-your-door business Bearded Viking Drinks hails successful launch
The union Jack flag is made up of marinated mackerel for the blue, the red is tuna and white is squid.
Ms Ono said: “It is all natural sushi ingredients, decorated on the bed of sushi rice. It tastes delicious, too.”
Kevin Rose from Carterton dressed up for the celebration and partied the day away dressed as Churchill.
Berni Edwards sent in a brilliant snap of a bus shelter that had been yarn-bombed.
Sandford on Thames Women’s Institute decided to cover the village bus shelter with over 300 hand-knitted poppies which were hand made by its members.
The bright red poppy display was put in place by the WI’s Treasurer, Carole Tasker, and her husband Clive.
Read also: Coronavirus: Blenheim Palace set to reopen park and gardens
Mr Edwards said on behalf of the WI: “The current social distancing meant that the other WI members could not help on this occasion. The whole project was organised via a new WhatsApp group the WI ladies have been using since lockdown.”
Susan Hallett sent in a picture of her VE Day decoration. Ms Hallett’s mother Doreen Rice sewed a ‘Welcome Home Harry’ sign for her husband Harry Rice using her sewing machine. She put the welcome home VE Day sign over the door in Campbell Road, Florence Park, Oxford.
Ms Hallett said: “Harry served in the Royal Medical Corp in North Africa and Italy. Also, in the photo is the tin mug he carried round in his pack and the rattle that my mother used on fire watch.”
Sue North took a picture of her VE Day decorations and she decided to mow the lawn to make it say ‘VE Day 75 years’.
Colin Grant took some snaps of his friends’ efforts to celebrate VE Day.
Mr Grant’s friend Chris Lewis from North Moreton, near Didcot, put on a small display of military memorabilia at the bottom of his drive for neighbours and passers-by to see. He displayed his Model T Ford, gas masks, helmets, and other Second World War military essentials.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here