Uckfield Town Council invite all local residents to be present for a special 80th-anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings when they host a free Beacon Lighting event on Thursday, 6 June 2024.
The day begins with the D-Day 80 Proclamation being delivered by the Town Crier, Mr Ian Bedwell, outside Hartfield’s Café at 8.00am. Alongside cries across the UK, the Proclamation will also be read out in the Channel Islands, Bermuda, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and 15 states of the USA.
The Town Council are then hosting the D-Day 80 Beacon Lighting commemoration at the site of Uckfield’s beacon on Victoria Pleasure Ground, at the top of Old Timbers Lane, Uckfield, TN22 5DJ.
The Beacon Lighting event begins at 6.00pm, with some excellent local music, dance and entertainment acts which celebrate music from that time and build up to the unmissable lighting of the beacon at 9.15pm.
We have performances from The Nutley Rock & Roll Dancers who will commence proceedings with high-energy routines, with backing from their brilliant DJ, Adam Scott.
Rosie’s Retro Rhythmswill take to the stage with her jam-packed repertoire of popular 1940s and 1950s tunes.
Deborah Lamb Theatre Arts will see her youthful troop of students take to the stage for a half-hour display of superbly choreographed routines.
Local soprano,Rosalind Lloyd-Bostock, who was trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, will deliver a stunning operatic performance with her impeccable vocals.
Uckfield Concert Brasswill build the atmosphere in the final hour, with a great mix of recognisable songs from across the decades, before we lead into the formal part of the evening.
Prayers will be led by the Reverend Father John Wall MA of Holy Cross Church just after 9.00pm, followed by a cry of the D-Day 80 Proclamation by Uckfield’s Town Crier, before a representative of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex will read the International Tribute and light the beacon with the Town Mayor of Uckfield. All beacons are to be lit at 9.15pm.
Children’s entertainment will also take place on Victoria Pleasure Ground all evening, with games taking place away from the beacon area and stage, supported by the local Guides groups attending.
A pop-up D-Day 80-themed background will also be available for attendees to take photos against courtesy of It’s Only a Paper Moon’s David Eyles.
There will be representatives of the Royal British Legion, and a stand delivered by the 2530 Uckfield Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets to provide information and community engagement from a key local group.
Entry to the event is free to all residents.
Food and drink will be available to purchase from several stands, including:
We recommend that as this is an outdoor event, residents come prepared with picnic blankets and chairs.
Residents are advised to walk where they can, as parking will be restricted.
Free parking will be available from 5pm to 11:59pm at the Uckfield Train Station Car Park (High Street, TN22 1HS). We thank Network Rail and APCOA Parking for agreeing to this exemption of parking charges for the event.
The evening is hoped to be an unforgettable occasion in Uckfield’s commemoration of this key event in national history.
6.00pm – 6.30pm – Nutley Rock & Roll Dancers
6.30pm – 7.00pm – Rosie’s Retro Rhythms
7.10pm – 7.40pm – Deborah Lamb Theatre Arts
7.45pm – 8.00pm – Opera singer Rosalind Lloyd-Bostock
8.00pm – 9.00pm – Uckfield Concert Brass
9.00pm – Formal prayers by Father John Wall, Proclamation by Town Crier and reading of International Tribute by a representative of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for East Sussex, to take place near the beacon.
9.15pm – Beacon Lighting
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