Coronavirus: 'Virtual parade' to mark VE Day 75th anniversary
A Royal British Legion standard bearer will hold a "virtual parade" to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, after planned events were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Steven Carr, from Huntingdon, has so far got more than 300 standard bearers to take part in a Facebook video to be released to celebrate the day on 8 May. VE Day marks the surrender of Nazi Germany in Europe in World War Two. Mr Carr said he was "astounded" by the number of people who have signed up. The May Day bank holiday in the UK had been moved from a Monday to a Friday to form a three-day weekend of commemorative events from 8-10 May, but these have been cancelled because of the pandemic. Mr Carr, a standard bearer for the Royal British Legion's Huntingdon and District Branch, said following the cancellation he "planned to just go into my back garden at home and at 11:00 perform an act of remembrance". But the 36-year-old IT technician posted his idea on social media and Legion members and other organisations quickly wanted to become involved. He now plans to post a video at 11:00 BST on 8 May with hundreds of standard bearers edited together, a blessing from a local vicar and a performance of We'll Meet Again. Mr Carr said the film's introduction would explain "we want to show everybody that the sacrifices of those who gave their lives is still remembered and anyone who served who is still alive, we are honouring their memory as well". "We want to try to encourage as many people as possible to send in a video of themselves doing an act of remembrance so we can edit it into this video," he added. "It's basically there to hopefully try to lift people's spirits in what isn't a particularly pleasant situation to find ourselves." Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk