Gladstone House residents mark 80th anniversary of VE Day with vintage sing-along

An assisted living complex has marked VE Day’s 80th anniversary with a special party.

Residents at Gladstone House, Newark, were treated to a sing-along session of wartime tunes by vintage entertainer Johnny Victory.

The home was decked out with Union Jacks, with large flags on the walls and small flags for residents’ to wave — right down to themed bowler hats.

Johnny Victory set the mood with a snippet of PM Winston Churchill’s victory speech from 1945.

He said: “I sing the wartime favourites, and get the residents singing along.

“There’s iconic songs like Vera Lynn’s and a bit of Boogie Woogie.”

Newark and Sherwood District Council tenancy officer Vanessa Travers added: “Johnny’s been before and they loved him.

“This era is quite nostalgic and it does get them all singing along.”

The home’s common space was given a pub atmosphere with a range of soft drinks served to residents, followed by an afternoon tea.

Among those at the party was 100-year-old resident Joan Cuthbert.

“I remember Churchill saying that speech,” she said.

“I was in the kitchen and started crying. It was a relief.”

Joan lived in Harrow at the time of the war, and also remembered a bomber flying low over the area causing her to run to the bomb shelter, before it ended up crashing nearby.

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