VE Day 80: History comes to life for Northern Ireland pupils as they celebrated 1940s-style

VE Day - or Victory in Europe Day - marks the day towards the end of World War Two (WW2) when fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe came to an end.

On 8 May 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill made an announcement on the radio at 3pm that the war in Europe had come to an end.

Germany surrendered the day before.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced the end of the war in Europe on the radio on Tuesday 8 May 1945.

Naturally this news made many people extremely happy and there were big celebrations and street parties.

Taking this theme, Head of History in the Ballyhalbert school in Co Down, Carrie Stevenson, said she and her colleague Linda Ross were able to offer such a celebration thanks to a grant from Ards Borough Council.

"I planned a lot of celebrations for VE Day in the school to make it something the pupils understand and remember,” she said.

“We all watched a lot of videos in class about WW11 and VE day so they could truly grasp the feelings of families at the time.

"Some pupils had not even heard about VE day at the start, but they know all about it now.

"Pupils needed to try to understand what families had gone through during the war and the relief they felt when it ended.

"Had we had more time I would like them to have spoken to a veteran about their experiences”.

Ms Stevenson said, given the home baking prominence at the time, they decided to hold “a bake-off, taking the classic Victoria sponge as the theme”

"This was judged during the celebrations.

"We also ran a personalised bunting competition in the art department, where pupils designed their own commemorative ideas for the 80th anniversary.

“And keeping the 1940s theme we played games that were played at the time – tug of war, skipping, hula-hoop and others.

“Staff all dressed up and the canteen staff made a special cake.

"We also had a celebratory tea party for all the pupils.

“And on Friday we are taking a few of our pupils who play instruments to a local nursing home to entertain residents and talk to them about their memories”.