Rotary Club reward efforts behind memorable VE Day event

The May 8 event, in conjunction with the Crossgates British Legion, centred at the Lochgelly Centre, drew nearly 300 participants in the grandest Fife commemoration of the day the Second World War ended in 1945.

Cowdenbeath Rotary Club played a crucial role as sponsor, and its involvement extended to honouring the individuals who made the event a success.

The club also coordinated the placement of large commemorative poppies on war graves at local cemeteries.

On Thursday, the Rotary Club recognised the people's efforts by awarding Pride of Fife Community Awards to contributors from both events.

Club member John Gilfillan, a key player on the Lochgelly Centre event’s organising committee, said: "It was a really moving event in so many ways, and so see people from the area’s residential homes and children from Lochgelly’s three primary schools play their part was excellent to see.

"Our entertainers were also key to the day working well, with singers Linda Ballingall and Kevin Thompson joining the school choirs in providing excellent renditions of songs of the war years with backing from Lorraine Mullen."

"The chair of the organising committee, Councillor Linda Erskine, and her colleague Mary Lockhart, spent hour-after-hour on the lead up to the opening of the event putting up regalia."

Councillor Linda Erskine expressed her exhilaration at the event's scale, stating: "When John Gilfillan asked me if there was anything local happening earlier in the year to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, I quickly realised that there was nothing planned.

"It was good that there were people willing to get something organised, and to see what transpired on May 9 was really great."

The Rotary Club also commended the combined efforts in placing commemorative poppies on more than 120 war graves in Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Benarty, Cardenden, and Auchterderran.

Vice president Craig Bennett said: "It was done over two days and the enthusiasm of the children involved was tremendous and I would like to thank everyone who took part."

At the end of the meeting certificates were awarded to those who contributed to both commemorative events.

Notably, the Lochgelly Community Council members involved in organising the VE Day event and the Lochgelly Brass Band, which filled the Centre with wartime era music, will also receive certificates.