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Care home residents celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum

A TEA party was held at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
Care home residents joined the Mayor of Rugby, Cllr Simon Ward, at a tea party at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum to celebrate the Good Times' VE Day-inspired art workshops.
08 May 2025
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The party was attended by care home residents in the borough who took part in VE Day-inspired art workshops run by Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's Good Times project.

The project's team held workshops at Overslade House, Drovers House, Willow Tree and Granville House, where residents, relatives and carers explored Second World War objects from the museum's social history handling collection before creating bunting, collages of Union Jack flags, a decoupaged tea service and crafty cakes made from sponges and felt.

A selection of the street party-inspired artworks has now gone on display at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's community space in the venue's foyer.

And on Friday (2 May), participants in the VE Day art workshops and care home staff were invited to a tea party to enjoy a brew and view the display - and were joined by the Mayor of Rugby, Cllr Simon Ward.

Cllr Ward said: "The Good Times project has been a real success story for Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, and I was delighted to chat to so many of the participants in the VE Day art workshops over a cup of tea and a biscuit.

"VE Day was a moment of spontaneous celebration across the nation, with people taking to the streets for hastily arranged parties and parades, and the display captures the spirit of that historic day 80 years' on."

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum launched the Good Times project nearly a decade ago, offering free sessions specifically designed for adults living with dementia.

The craft sessions, tailored to tackle loneliness and increase social interaction, focus on a 'reminiscence box' containing objects from the museum's social history handling collection.

Each free session has a different theme, such as music, toys or clothes, helping to stir memories and start conversations.

The VE Day-inspired artworks remain on display at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum's community space until Sunday 25 May.

For more information about the Good Times, visit www.ragm.co.uk/good-times