Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) events have been scaled back nationally in line with government advice. However, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate and mark the anniversary whilst staying safe at home.

1. Pause for a Two Minute Silence at 11am and watch stories and memories from those who served and sacrificed during the Second World War
2. Join ‘The Nation’s Toast’ at 3pm – raise a glass with the nation to the heroes of WWII (broadcast starts at 2.45pm on BBC1)
3. Watch further VE Day 75 special broadcasts on the BBC, including extracts from Churchill’s famous victory speech and Her Majesty The Queen addressing the nation at 9pm
4. Take part in a national singalong of Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll meet again’
5. Decorate your home in red, white and blue. Print and colour in bunting, posters and thank you cards to display in your windows.
6. Have an indoor or back garden picnic. Your menu choices could include recipe ideas from 1945!
7. Visit the English Heritage website to learn songs from the era, including classics from Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn, and get tips on how to dance the Lindy Hop.
8. Visit the VE Day 75 website to learn about the history of the war. They’ve also got some recipes to take it back to 1945, including spam hash and eggless fruit cake.
9. Take Dan Snow’s VE Day challenge for young people
10. Share your VE Day activities on social media using the #VEDay75 hashtag

The council will be flying the Union Flag, the Dorset Flag and the Dorset Council Flag at County Hall, Dorchester, from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 May. Union Flags will also be flown at other Dorset Council buildings around the county.

The war in the East did not end until 15 August 1945, when Japan surrendered. The day was celebrated across the world as ‘Victory over Japan’ (VJ Day).

If you want to make bunting to celebrate VE Day and help create 1,945 metres of red, white and blue bunting, Bletchley Park are inviting you to do so by following their template. Adorn your houses with it on 8 May, then before Bletchley Park is reopen to the public, send your bunting to them so they can create a real celebration atmosphere when they open. Share your celebrations using #BletchleyParkVEDay75 or #BuntingforBletchley.

Download the template here