VE Day – Ripon Cathedral

Lighting up red, white and blue, commemorative worship, music, bunting and bellringing – all our cathedrals are getting ready to remember, reflect and give thanks to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for peace in our times.

VE DAY 80 – join us in a shared moment of celebration and remembrance.

More VE Day 2025 events here.

Ripon Cathedral – Knitting for victory – eighty years on.

Thousands of hours, millions of stitches – the Ripon Community Poppy Project is working in partnership with Ripon Cathedral for a shared moment of commemoration and celebration to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, VE 80.

The knitters are currently busy knitting red, white and blue bunting, knitted plates with knitted sandwiches and knitted cakes and intend to cover Ripon to remind people of the day the German forces surrendered to the Allied Powers, Victory in Europe Day on May 8th followed on Friday 15 August by Victory in Japan Day.

Over the last six years its forty volunteers have dedicated thousands of hours to knitting amazing displays, (there’s a regular ‘Knit and Natter’ group on Monday mornings) creating installations and organising events.

And they have recently been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award is the equivalent to an MBE – and is the highest award given to voluntary groups in the UK.

In June last year Ripon Cathedral hosted a full-sized knitted tank for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing, knitted by the Poppy Project.  The tank will be back in front of the cathedral to mark the occasion too.

The people of Ripon will be united on the anniversary, Thursday 8 May with a VE Day Proms Celebration in the Cathedral at 7.15pm.

More here.

Thursday 8th May will mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. To commemorate this occasion, the Government has announced an events programme between Bank Holiday Monday (5th May) and VE Day (8th May), culminating in a nationwide celebration of this historic day. You can check out all the events near you by clicking here.