VE Day 75: Felpham mum organises doorstep concert days after similar event for Colonel Tom Moore's birthday

Despite being in a wheelchair, Yvonne Sutcliff was determined to do her bit in the community by getting together a group of musicians from across the Summerley Estate to help mark the occasion.

It comes after she held a similar event for Colonel Tom Moore's 100th birthday, with local musicians singing Happy Birthday, We’ll Meet Again and You’ll Never Walk Alone, with instruments including, a cello, guitar, trumpet, euphonium and flute.

Yvonne said: "I've organised a volunteering group on our estate for 351 houses. I can't physically do anything myself as I had an accident 15 months ago and was left with shattered arms and legs.

"I've experienced how challenging it was to suddenly have your life suddenly taken away from you. I have my husband here and children visiting and it's very challenging to be in lockdown.

"I thought I would try to do what I could from my house. We've got 22 people doing shopping, prescriptions, talking to people who are lonely over the phone and walking dogs.

"It became obvious that people are missing that community spirit and feeling isolated. Our houses are quite spaced out so we can't see each other so I put a call out for people who could play instruments.

"It's about being a part of something rather than being isolated at home."

Yvonne managed to take part by playing her guitar for Colonel Tom's birthday and she now plans to play The Last Post on her trumpet for VE Day, following the two minutes silence at 11am.

She added: "It will all be socially distanced and I have tried to comply with the British Legion about timings. People are printing out buntings.

"People can look out their windows or go to the end of their drives and we can all sing the national anthem.

"At 3pm, we will raise our glasses as a toast whilst some people are having their tea parties at the end of their drives.

"At 9pm, there will be the national rendition of We'll Meet Again. From 8.30, I've got nine numbers I'm going to play and sing.

"There is a trumpet player coming along and one of the other people on the estate is going to walk along with his saxaphone and play with us.

"We're not encouraging people to come to a place, it's all about doing it from your house.

"We've got quite a few elderly people dependent on relatives visiting so it's about keeping them in touch."

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