VE Day: Honouring the Past, Recognising the Present

This week, across the country, we come together to mark VE Day — a moment of remembrance, celebration, and gratitude. On this 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, we pay tribute to those who made the greatest sacrifice during the Second World War: the men and women who fought, those who worked in factories and fields, who kept families and communities going, and who, through unimaginable hardship, secured the freedoms we now enjoy.

It is right that we remember. It is right that we always remember.

We will hear personal stories – inspiring stories – from those who were there on VE Day, those who remember, and those who played a part in our victory. These are stories of courage, resilience and sacrifice that we should never forget. They remind us not only of the magnitude of what was won but of the human spirit that made that victory possible.

Reflections and celebrations this week will also bring different generations together, providing opportunities for younger people to hear from and learn from older people. Not just about their experiences of the past, living through and emerging from the shadow of war, but also about their lives today and the contributions they continue to make in so many ways, which often go unnoticed.

This is so important to challenge stereotypes and assumptions about growing older and to help ensure that the significant contribution older people make to our lives and communities today is recognised.

Older people are carers, often looking after loved ones with little or no formal support. They are volunteers, running food banks, charity shops, community centres, activities and groups. They are leaders, offering decades of knowledge and expertise to guide local initiatives, mentor younger generations, and strengthen the social fabric. Older people contribute to the economy and save the state millions each year through paid work, volunteering, consumer spending, and unpaid care. And yet, many older people tell me they feel invisible, as though their value to the country ended with retirement.

Commemoration should never be just about looking backward. It should remind us of the principles we hold dear: gratitude, respect, and the understanding that each generation builds on the efforts and sacrifices of those before it. But it also calls us to look around and ask whether we are fully recognising the value of older people in our communities, not just for their past, but as active, vital contributors to our shared lives today?

This VE Day, as we honour the past, we must also recognise, value and celebrate older people who continue to shape and strengthen our society every single day.