Beacon Lighting - VE Day 80th Anniversary Commemorations
Published: 12 May 2025
PRESS RELEASE
Lighting of Loughton’s Beacon for the VE Day 80th Anniversary
Thursday 8 May 2025
Once again Loughton Town Council was honoured to host the lighting of the Beacon at the top of Hillyfields Open Space to commemorate VE Day 80th Anniversary. Loughton Town Council was extremely proud to take part in this national tribute in which over 1,500 beacons were lit across the length and breadth of the country and overseas
Cllr Katie Valentine, Loughton Town Mayor welcomed everyone to this special event and extended her heartfelt thanks to the 41st Epping Forest Scouts for reading ‘The Tribute’, to Reverend Chris Davies for his words of Remembrance, and to Frankie Gibney (Young Loughton Citizen of the Year) for lighting the Beacon. She also acknowledged Ben Mayers, the Standard Bearer, and Roseanne Duckworth for playing the bugle. We were also very grateful to see our local MP, Dr Neil Hudson in attendance, at the end of his busy schedule on this momentous day.
A big thank you to all who took part and the large crowd of Loughton residents, who attended, and supported this historic, commemorative event.
We have previously lit the beacon in this location in 2012 as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2016 for the Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations and in 2022 for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the D-Day Landings 80th Anniversary in 2024.
Mark Squire
12 May 2025
For
more information please contact
Mark Squire, Town Clerk or Pippa Bryce, Community Manager
0208508 4200
Photos below show:
1) Frankie Gibney, Young Citizen of the Year 2025 lighting the beacon
2) L-R: Dr Neil Hudson MP, Epping Forest, Ben Mayers, Standard Bearer, Frankie Gibney, who lit the beacon, Rev'd Chris Davies who read the words of remembrance and Loughton Town Mayor, Cllr Katie Valentine
3) Roseanne Duckworth, Bugler
4) The 41st Scout Group and Leaders, whose members read the Tribute, alongside the TM, Cllr Katie Valentine
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