COMMUNITY choirs will come together today to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day with an online sing-along.

They will join forces via Zoom online for the national sing-along at 9pm for Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again wartime song which will be broadcast live on West Wilts Radio, Bradford on Avon’s community radio station.

Lisa Samuel, of the Singing with Attitude choir, said: “We will be joining in with the big sing with Dame Vera Lynn. If we sing loud enough, maybe everyone will hear it.”

The choirs include All in Harmony in Bradford on Avon, the Pound Sound at Corsham and Village Voices at Hullavington.

Meanwhile, children and adults across Bradford on Avon have been invited to make pennants and bunting in red, white and blue to hang outside their homes and in their windows.

At the Abbeyfield independent living home in Trowbridge Road, Bradford on Avon, residents will take part in a day of celebrations, with a tea party in the afternoon featuring typical wartime fare.

Home manager Helen Howard said: “One of our residents David Davis will be playing wartime tunes on the piano.”

Sally Narrowboats at Bradford on Avon Marina has taken delivery of a new 52-feet narrowboat on a sponsored hire from Ian Hutt.

The boat has been renamed Poppy in honour of the Royal British Legion and VE Day and will join the company’s 25-strong fleet at the marina in Widbrook.

Stephen Langley, of Sally Narrowboats, said: “The boat has been repainted blue and 1945-2020 inscribed on the stern.”

Local aerial installer, Julian Derrick, of Derricks Aerials, took the salute on board. He served as a senior aircraftsman with the Royal Air Force air crash rescue fire service at RAF Odiham in Hampshire.

In Monkton Farleigh, Richard Smith, 32, is dressing up as a Second World War Home Guardsman and his wife Melissa, 28, as a Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps nurse.

Mr Smith, of Farleigh Rise, said: “We will be donning the uniforms and Tony Couldrake, of C Company, a British Army re-enactment group in Westbury, will be bringing along some Second World War artefacts to display.”

In Melksham, the town’s mayor Cllr Jon Hubbard and town crier Peter Dauncey have recorded special messages for VE Day that will be broadcast on YouTube.

Kathy Stearne, of Semington Road, Melksham, will be taking part in the world’s largest online Steam and Vintage Rally on VE Day.

Mrs Stearne said: “It may be the largest Steam and Vintage Rally this year with many events local and national being cancelled.

“It consists of a 36-horse Galloper ride, Dobby set, fairground organ, showman’s living van, striker and side stalls.

“So far, the Facebook event has over 7,000 followers from toy steam engines, to vintage cars and lorries, horses, agricultural equipment, and of course traction engines.

“It was the idea of Anthony Coullis, chairman of theNational Traction Engine Trust, and his 14-year-old daughter and now has NTET authorisation.

“We hope it will be the largest steam rally this year and we will be taking part on today and Saturday."