How you can help Oldham celebrate 75th VJ Day anniversary

Residents are invited to share their photographs, nostalgia and artwork to help Oldham commemorate Victory over Japan Day.

Saturday 15 August marks 75 years since the end of the Second World War.

To honour the anniversary – and all those who gave their lives for us – Oldham Council will be running an exhibition in the town centre and wants residents and their families to be at the heart of it.

Cllr Cath Ball, who is helping to organise the event, said: “Many of our elderly residents have been in lockdown for months, and we need to tell them that they are important and their memories are important. World War Two was a massive part of their lives.

“We want stories from all of our communities - from the Asian sub-continent, Africa and Europe. What we don’t receive in time, we will put in a memory book and put online.”

In addition to displaying memories and photographs from across the borough, the council is also encouraging young residents to take part in the exhibition.

Children are invited to submit posters and drawings based on a Second World War/VJ Day theme.

As well as being on display at the exhibition, poster and exhibition submissions will be put into a prize draw - with one entrant from each category winning a voucher to spend at Tommyfield Market.

Cllr Sean Fielding, Leader of Oldham Council and Cabinet member for Economy and Skills, said: “Coronavirus has meant we have not been able to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day in the way we would’ve liked – but we cannot let this important event go unnoticed.

“We look forward to sharing people’s submissions and hope the exhibition in the town centre reaffirms the part that many local people played in giving us the freedoms we have today.”

The VJ Day exhibition will open at Tommyfield Market on Friday 14 August and will be in place for a month.

People can send poster entries and contributions for the exhibition by emailing cath.ball@oldham.gov.uk or post to Cllr Cath Ball, WWII memories, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham Council, OL1 1UH.

Please note, you can send a photo of a photo or scan images - you don’t have to post original photographs.