Nantwich businesses are pitching in to help people celebrate VE Day from their own homes!
Residents are being encouraged to host “Stay at Home” street parties and decorate houses to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day this Friday (May 8).
Steve Granville, from Nantwich, runs a company manufacturing paper cups, called The Cup Folk.
He’s creating specially designed Nantwich-themed VE Day cups, fully recyclable without PE plastic or PLA lining – the first of their kind.
The cups will have an image of the town centre and the war memorial on them.
All profits from the sales will go to Crewe-based Chance Changing Saving Lives charity, which is helping the most vulnerable and homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Steve said: “I wanted to help people celebrate VE Day as a Nantwich resident, and already supply a number of local businesses.
“I also wanted a way to support the work Chance are doing, particularly at this difficult time.”
Anyone can order these cups by emailing [email protected] and he will do doorstep drop offs around Nantwich leading up to Friday’s VE Day celebrations.
“I’m also producing a support key workers and the NHS cup, with profits again going to Chance,” he added.
“This cup is aimed at outlets doing takeaways etc.”
Meanwhile, family-owned preserve business Darlington and Daughters has launched limited-edition version of their Strawberry Jam and Legendary Lemon Curd to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
Mrs Darlington’s – run by Marion Darlington and her daughters Wendy and Sarah – wanted to pay tribute to the soldiers and armed forces.
They have chosen charity SSAFA, who provide support to soldiers and their families, and will be making a donation from every jar sold.
Wendy and Sarah’s Uncle William was one of the many soldiers rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk.
Marion Darlington said: “SSAFA is a wonderful charity, close to our family’s hearts and I know both William and my husband Tom would have been delighted for us to offer them support.”
Wendy Darlington added: “We hope by creating the limited edition jars we’ll be able to make a small difference in the lives of soldiers and their families and give something back to the men, like our Uncle William, who gave and continue to give us so much.”
Today the business has a range of more than 80 products, which are sold in 3,000 independent retailers nationally and internationally.
These VE Day products are available from www.mrsdarlingtons.com
For further information on Royal British Legion VE Day 75, visit https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/remembrance-events/ve-day-75
For further information on Nantwich – VE Day75 Stay at Home Street Party, search “Nantwich – VE Day75 Stay at Home Street Party” on Facebook or via this direct link https://www.facebook.com/events/230094391395551/
Many thanks to these two local companies for giving us unique mementos of this incredible day which we are not able to celebrate in our usual manner. The jars will be carefully cleaned and one of the cups kept to display until we can celebrate 75th anniversary of VE Day.