Angela joined volunteers from a dedicated community group to help care home residents embrace the wartime spirit ahead of VE Day.

Smallshaw-Hurst Community Action Group is a collection of local charities and organisations that have joined forces to mobilise support for those that need it during the coronavirus crisis.

It is made up of Smallshaw-Hurst Children’s Community, Ashton United in The Community, St John’s the Evangelist Church and Broadoak and Smallshaw Association.

Staff at Kings Park Care Home in Hurst Cross reached out to the group on Facebook and asked for help to make the 75th anniversary of VE Day special for residents, who are struggling with isolation, anxiety and lack of visits from family and friends.

The group’s volunteers immediately got to work, printing hundreds of VE celebration posters and flags to be coloured in by local children. The youngsters were also given VE Day party kits containing flags, hats, balloons and sweets.

The completed designs were given to residents at their celebratory afternoon tea on Friday and Angela spoke to them via Zoom as their special guest.

Staff at the care home were also presented with special stress busting kits by the group to thank them for all their hard work on the frontline.

Angela, who was recently elected as Labour’s Deputy Leader, said: “It was great to get stuck in with volunteers from Smallshaw-Hurst Community Action Group. I really enjoyed delivering the packs to local families and the finished results brought cheer and colour to the care home residents. We couldn’t celebrate VE Day in the ways that we usually would but we certainly found ways to make the day special.”