Commemorations to focus on WWII home front veterans

Home front veterans across Britain are being supported by the Lottery to mount a range of commemorative concerts and events marking the end of the Second World War.

The multi-million pound Home Front Recall funding scheme, which includes support for a gala concert by the English Chamber Orchestra, will fund activities commemorating the part played by those on the home front during the war years six decades ago - fire fighters, auxiliary services, nurses, Bevin Boys, dock workers, ex-service clubs and people in many other roles are organising actvities.

The £7.3 million Home Front Recall scheme,a joint initiative from Lottery good cause distributors the Big Lottery Fund* and the Heritage Lottery Fund, will will provide the basis for the workshops and is designed to involve as many different generations as possible for this special anniversary. It will be developed from letters, anecdotes, stories and key historical events to achieve a sincere and poignant account of the war.

Big Lottery Fund Chief Executive, Stephen Dunmore, said: "There are valuable lessons for today's generations from the experience of the war effort across the UK which helped bring about victory and peace in Europe.

"Through this scheme, we want to help a special generation participate in the 60th anniversary of those days. Home Front Recall recognises the importance of the sacrifices and contribution made by millions of people who may not have been fighting in the strict sense but were, nonetheless, indispensable."

Today, the English Chamber Orchestra charitable trust in London has received nearly £20,000 to provide a celebratory concert featuring the premiere of a new work written especially for the 60th Anniversary of end of the Second World War.

The orchestra's specially composed programme will premiere on October 27 2005 at Cadogan Hall in London.

(gmcg/sp)