VE day celebrations!
VE Day marked the end of the Second World War, and this year marked its 81st anniversary. To celebrate, we held a lovely little party in the office and spent time remembering such an important moment in history. We also visited our customer Terence, who shared his memories and experiences from that time with us, it was truly special to hear his stories firsthand.
Memories of the Second World War and VE Day
By Terrence G
I was born in September 1939, the same month and year that the Second World War began. I remember little moments as I grew older around the time the war ended in 1945, but it was my parents’ stories and memories, shared with me throughout my life, that stayed with me the most.
In 1939, we lived in Lewisham. I was just a baby in my mother’s arms when my father went away to serve in the Army and fight for our country. It was a frightening and terrible time for my family, and for everyone living through it.
We had ration books and had to record everything that was bought. We were limited in what we could get hold of, and families had to make do with very little.
By 1941, devastation struck our family. The bombing raids had become increasingly heavy, and our air-raid shelter flooded, so we could no longer use it. We were advised to stay in the back room of our house instead, but my mother was worried and asked our next-door neighbours if we could shelter with them.
We took our cat with us, who was also distressed by the noise and chaos. Mother, my brother, my grandmother, the cat, and I all crowded into the neighbours’ shelter together. Around 11pm, the bombing came very close. It must have been my mother’s intuition that saved us because, by 4am, a bomb had torn through our home next door.
The devastation was enormous. There was so much rubble that the fire brigade had to dig us out from the neighbours’ shelter. Mother later spoke of my grandmother passing me into the arms of a fireman with tears in her eyes, overwhelmed with relief that we were all safe.
After this, we stayed with relatives for some time, but we were declared homeless before eventually being rehoused in Hither Green.
Thankfully, my father was safe. By 1942, he and his colleagues were due to go overseas, although they did not know where they were heading. Two of the men decided it was too much for them and scarpered, leaving their equipment behind to be shared out amongst the others. Father said the Sergeant Major was furious.
During the war, Father travelled to Sri Lanka, Mumbai, and Burma. Mother constantly worried for his safety, but she had little time to dwell on it because she was focused on keeping us safe and sheltered at home.
In 1944, the doodlebugs began flying over London and once again we had to flee, this time to stay with our aunt and uncle in Hertfordshire. It was a very difficult period. Sometimes strangers would steal from the rubble right under people’s noses, but despite this, community spirit and comradeship kept everyone together. People looked out for one another in ways that are hard to imagine today.
Then, in 1945, Father finally came home. We were overjoyed and deeply grateful to have him back safely. My brother and I both sat on his knees, so excited to see him again after so long apart.
As I grew older, I became interested in learning more about the war beyond the stories I had heard from my family. In London alone, approximately 30,000 deaths were recorded during the Second World War.
That is why VE Day is such a special occasion. It is a day to celebrate the end of the Second World War, with memories of street parties, singing, and dancing in the streets, but it is also a time to reflect on all those who sadly lost their lives.
As the Bible says, “There will be wars and rumours of wars.”
— Terrence G
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Mental Health Week 11th - 17th May
Our team wanted to remind you all that you matter. Be kind to yourself, check in on those around you and never be afraid to reach out for support when you need it. 💙
Customer & Carer of the month 💙
Each month, we love recognising both a Customer of the Month and Carer of the Month as a way of celebrating the amazing people who make our care community so special.
Our Customer of the Month is picked at random to put a smile on their faces with a impromptu visit and a small gift, while our Carer of the Month recognises team members who go above and beyond to provide compassionate, dedicated care.
Our carer of the month is Mary for always being on hand and super reliable, she is always helping out at last minute and is eager to work!
Our customer of the month for May is Daphne!
Award Finalists! 🎉💙
It’s also award season in the care industry, and we’ve been busy submitting nominations to recognise the incredible work you all do every single day 🌟
Our team are finalists in TWO categories at the Stars of Social Care Awards taking place on June 12th — keep an eye out to see if we bring home an award! 🏆
A special congratulations to Samantha & Emilia, who are representing the care team in the Above & Beyond Award category.
We also have the Bluebird Care Awards coming up soon, so keep an eye out for the finalists!
And finally, a huge congratulations and good luck to Christabel, who is a finalist at the Dementia Awards for her incredible work 💙
