The spirit of jubilation which swept over communities on VE Day was embodied at a special party.

Ilford Recorder: Carmen Frowde-Eaton, Holly McCallum, Ella Grace Roaas and Olivia Joiner with the bunting they made for their VE Day anniversary partyCarmen Frowde-Eaton, Holly McCallum, Ella Grace Roaas and Olivia Joiner with the bunting they made for their VE Day anniversary party (Image: Archant)

The 19th Woodford Brownies held a celebration to imagine what the occasion must have been like for ordinary people.

The girls, 24 in total, enjoyed activities such as making bunting from recycled materials and creating flyers.

Clare Reeves, 32, leader of the unit and district commissioner for Woodford South, said: “I was very impressed by how much the girls already knew about the war and the reasons we celebrate VE Day.

“We focused on trying to imagine what it was like for the people celebrating, who had one day to pull together these amazing community events, and how they shared their limited resources to make it a truly memorable day.”

The Brownies, who meet at Woodford Methodist Church, in Derby Road, South Woodford, also baked cakes which would have been popular at the time, but subject to rationing.

Clare said: “The girls laid a beautiful table and served the cakes to each other, making sure they all got an equal amount.

“The girls and leaders had a great party and after all that hard work it was lovely to watch them enjoy their cakes.”

A special supplement celebrating the 70th anniversary of VE Day is inside this week’s paper, featuring residents’ memories, school activities and a spread looking at the impact of the Second World War on east London.