On Thursday, 8th May 2025, Ash Parish Council commemorated the 80th anniversary of VE Day by hosting a community lunch for all residents. The hall was full of energy as attendees shared memories and photographs of how the original VE Day was celebrated. Cllr Howard Smith, the newly appointed Mayor of Guildford, joined Cllr Fiona White, Chair of Ash Parish Council, to welcome guests and lead a two-minute silence in remembrance. The venue was beautifully decorated with red, white, and blue balloons, bunting, and Union Jacks.
The Peace Day Poppy Wall displayed the names of soldiers from Ash who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. The Ash Museum also contributed a captivating exhibition featuring newspapers, maps, and photographs that depicted how the village marked the occasion 80 years ago.
Cllr John Tonks (Events Chairman) posted on social media after the event:
“Thank you to everyone that joined Ash Parish Council today to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Also thank you to our hard-working staff and volunteers who helped make the day possible. We were very pleased to receive thanks from our residents who said they enjoyed the event. It was also great to see that people also brought in their own photos to share their memories of the day also, 80 years ago. Fantastic.”
What to see more exhibits?
The Ash Museum is also open on the 3rd Sunday of every month between 2 pm and 4:30 PM, which is located within Ash Cemetery and is accessed via Ash Church Road, Next to St Peter’s Church and Opposite the Catholic Church of The Holy Angels.
The Museum also has a display at the Ash Library on from 1 am until 1 pm on Saturday, 10th May 2025.
The Peace Day Poppy Wall is also displayed annually for the Ash Parish Council Remembrance Sunday event, in the main hall.
Ash Parish Council posted on their website
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us at the Ash Centre on Thursday, 8th May 2025, to mark the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
We were thrilled with the fantastic turnout! Residents were welcomed with light refreshments, sandwiches, jelly, and of course… CAKE! 
The event featured a touching display of artifacts from the Ash Museum, and the powerful Peace Day Poppy Wall, which maps the names and homes of all the brave soldiers from Ash who gave their lives in WWI and WWII.
It was a day of remembrance, reflection, and community spirit. 
Check out the photo gallery from the day by clicking the link below.”
www.ashpcsurrey.gov.uk/galleries/ve-day-80th-anniversary-2025
The VE Day Event was excellent. Many thanks to all those who organised it – and for the wonderful food