Latest news with #VeraLynn
Scotsman
27-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
A dramatic revival in shipbuilding in Glasgow is under way
BAE Systems Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As NATO leaders met in The Hague on Wednesday to make their historic re-armament pledge, about a hundred shipyard workers and managers at BAE Systems were gathering on Glasgow's Upper Clyde for the official opening of a vast new shipbuilding facility in Govan. The Janet Harvey Hall, named after the first woman to work in the yard in the second world war, is one of the largest industrial buildings in Scotland. It has to be big to accommodate the side-by-side construction – sheltered from Glasgow's notorious weather - of two Type 26 frigates that the UK's biggest defence contractor is building for the Royal Navy. In all, eight were ordered under a £7.9 billion contract with the Ministry of Defence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To a piped soundtrack of 1940s music including wartime crooner Vera Lynn, staff heard how the new facility was built on land once owned by Fairfields, the former Govan business that blazed a global trail for Scottish shipbuilding in the 19 th century. But as GMB union convener Kenny Smith told them: 'It also stands as a monument to the future.' PA That future can be seen in why the Type 26 is being built in Glasgow. It was in front of the same hall that Keir Starmer last month unveiled the government's Strategic Defence Review, warning the threats Britain now faces are 'more serious and less predictable than at any time since the end of the Cold War'. One of those is a marked increase in Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic, particularly under the icy waters of the Norwegian Sea. This is where the Type 26 comes in. Described by BAE Systems as a 'frontline warfighting frigate' with 'high survivability characteristics', the vessel has been built for stealth, including an alternative electric motor to reduce noise. BAE Systems has invested £300 million in modernising its facilities in Glasgow to build the Type 26, including docks across the Clyde at Scotstoun where hulls are fully fitted out, including with a computerised 'combat management system'. A 'mission bay' towards the stern allows the deployment of drones and anti-hypersonic missiles. 'This is designed to beat the Russian sub at the cat-and-mouse game,' explains Simon Lister, a former Royal Navy vice-admiral and military attaché in Moscow who is now managing director of BAE Systems' naval ships business. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The building of the Type 26 signifies nothing less than a dramatic revival in shipbuilding in Glasgow after decades of post-war decline. Just as sites like Govan and Belfast were vital to wartime efforts in the past, it's a revival driven by geopolitics. And it places Scotland at 'the beating heart of military shipbuilding', as Scottish Secretary Ian Murray put it last month when the first Type 26 was officially named 'HMS Glasgow' by the Princess of Wales. It's a revival that looks sustainable, too, which will matter for jobs. Annual defence spending of £2.1 billion in Scotland currently supports over 11,000 defence industry jobs, of which almost 5,000 are at BAE Systems in Glasgow. In the Netherlands, NATO committed to meet US president Donald Trump's demand to raise defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035. The UK has pledged as part of this to raise core defence spending to 3.5 per cent, with an additional 1.5 per cent on security- related infrastructure such as cyber security and border protection. The future cashflow prospects for defence businesses are rosy. Investors have taken notice, powering explosive growth in the share prices of European publicly listed defence companies such as Rheinmetall of Germany, Italy's Leonardo – which has an avionics and radar business in Edinburgh – and Babcock, the UK's second largest defence contractor that's building Type 31 frigates at Rosyth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This week, Babcock's chief executive David Lockwood declared a 'new era for defence' as his company raised its profits target. BAE Systems, whose shares are up 62 per cent so far this year, hopes it will win a contract from Norway this year to deliver five Type 26s. Developing a robust supply chain will be key. Two things announced in this week's UK Industrial Growth Strategy stand out. One is a new £400 million innovation fund to support new defence technology, while another is the creation of 'defence growth deals' for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to create 'regional industrial clusters'. In March, the government said it would launch a new 'support hub' to small and medium enterprises better access to the defence supply chain. PA 'The government has made a very clear link between increased defence spending and the effect on the economy, so this will have an effect not only in Scotland but the supply chain, a lot of which is in Britain,' says Emma Salisbury, a research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy. Notably, about half of the supply chain for the Type 26 is sourced in Britain. One unknown is whether this increase in naval activity will have any spillover effect into civilian shipbuilding. A hearing at the Scottish Parliament this week heard from Brussels-based consultancy ADS Insight that while competition from Asia had hollowed out European shipbuilding over decades, calls have started to come for a European maritime industrial strategy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
1920s Pullman train and 40s locomotive to pass through south east London this week
Trainspotters will be in for a rare sight as a historic 1940s steam engine and 1920s Pullman carriages will be passing through south east London this week. Hauling the 1920s Pullman train carriages this Thursday (June 5) will be the Merchant navy Clan Line 35028 locomotive. One of its most famous trips made history in 2018, when it became the first Merchant Navy locomotive to pass over the Royal Albert Bridge and enter Cornwall. Hauling the 1920s Pullman train carriages will be the Merchant navy Clan Line 35028 locomotive. (Image: Belmond) This 40s steam engine, first built in 1948 in Hampshire, was formerly part of several famous routes run by the Southern Region of British Railways, including The Golden Arrow and the Night Ferry, until it finished its active service in 1967. But you can occasionally spot this heritage locomotive on special passenger journeys hauling services run by Belmond. The locomotive will be pulling restored 1920s train carriages that would have once transported the age's most famous and wealthy passengers. The locomotive will be pulling restored 1920s train carriages. (Image: Belmond) To this day the renovated carriages are each named after some of their most famous passengers like Vera Lynn and Audrey Hepburn, and feature vintage lighting, heritage upholstery and offer customers the chance to have a five-course dining experience on board. Tickets are still bookable for this experience on Belmond, priced at £690 per person. The renovated carriages are each named after some of their most famous passengers and feature vintage lighting and heritage upholstery. (Image: Belmond) Trainspotters across south east London and parts of Kent will be able to catch a glimpse of this nostalgic train as it makes its way from London to Kent. Beginning at London Victoria at around 11am, the train will make its way through south east London, passing through Brixton, Denmark Hill, Bellingham and Bromley South, before making its way through Swanley and Kent to its final destination at Dover in the early afternoon. Trainspotters across south east London and parts of Kent will be able to catch a glimpse of this nostalgic train as it makes its way from London to Kent. (Image: Belmond) Here are all the stations and times you'll be able to spot it: Outbound: London Victoria (Platform 2) - 10:59am Brixton - 11:07am Denmark Hill (Platform 4) - 11:10am Nunhead (Platform 2) - 11:15am Bellingham (Platform 2) - 11:23am Bromley South (Platform 4) - 11:32am Swanley (Platform 4) - 11:42am Rochester (Platform 2) - 12:09pm Gillingham (Platform 3) - 12:16pm Rainham (Platform 2) - 12:19pm Sittingbourne (Platform 2) - 12:29pm Faversham (Platform 3) - 12:38pm Canterbury East (Platform 2) - 12:56pm Shepherds Well (Platform 2) - 1:13pm Dover Priory (Platform 1) - 1:20pm Return: Dover Priory (Platform 1) - 1:51pm Folkestone East - 2:04pm Folkestone Central - 2:05pm Ashford International - 2:21pm Headcorn - 2:33pm Paddock Wood - 2:44pm Sevenoaks (Platform 1) - 3:10pm Orpington (Platform 2) - 3:20pm Bromley South (Platform 1) - 3:36pm Beckenham Junction (Platform 2) - 3:43pm Kent House (Platform 2) - 3:47pm Herne Hill (Platform 2) - 4:00pm Brixton - 4:01pm London Victoria (Platform 2) - 4:11pm
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Heartwarming celebrations at South Lanarkshire care homes to mark VE Day 80th anniversary
Residents from McKillop Gardens attended a commemorative event at East Kilbride British Legion on May 8, where they were entertained by the East Kilbride Pipe Band and a vocalist performing timeless favourites by Dame Vera Lynn. Care homes across South Lanarkshire paid tribute to the 80th anniversary of VE Day with joyful, community-spirited celebrations that brought residents, families and staff together in remembrance and reflection. A variety of events took place across care homes run by South Lanarkshire Council and managed by South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership. Meldrum Gardens in East Kilbride hosted a vibrant street party, where residents and their loved ones were treated to classic wartime songs by a live performer. Flags, bunting and heartfelt singalongs brought the spirit of 1945 back to life in a joyful celebration of peace and community. Meanwhile, residents from McKillop Gardens attended a commemorative event at East Kilbride British Legion on May 8, where they were entertained by the East Kilbride Pipe Band and a vocalist performing timeless favourites by Dame Vera Lynn. The music stirred cherished memories, sparking conversation and reflection. At David Walker Gardens, Rutherglen residents marked the day with reminiscence activities, wartime-themed decorations and time spent honouring those who served. Further celebrations took place across South Lanarkshire, including at Lady Home Hospital, where staff created a classic 'street party' atmosphere with live music, bunting and plenty of smiles. Some staff even dressed in 1940s-style nurse uniforms, adding an extra touch of nostalgia to honour the past and bring joy to the community. Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, said: 'Moments like these highlight the power of connection, memory and shared history. It was deeply moving to see our care homes mark this milestone anniversary with such creativity and compassion. These events remind us that honouring the past can be a powerful way of enriching the present for those in our care.' Mary Tedford, community living manager for Older Adult Residential and Care and Support, added: 'VE Day means so much to many of our residents and we were proud to help them mark it in a way that was personal and meaningful. From wartime songs to cherished conversations, these events sparked joy, reflection and community spirit in equal measure.' Professor Sengupta added: 'I'd like to thank our dedicated staff for marking the occasion in a way that not only respected the profound significance of VE Day but made it truly meaningful for our residents.'
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Masked Singer star pregnant with second child as she shows off bump at VE Day bash
THE MASKED Singer winner Samantha Barks has revealed she's pregnant with her second child with her partner Alex Michael Stoll. The West End star, 34, showed off her baby bump at last night's VE Day 80 celebrations, which was attended by King Charles and The Prince and Princess of Wales. 4 Samantha performed Vera Lynn's wartime anthem We'll Meet Again at London's Horse Guards Parade on Thursday. Her baby bump was kept under wraps in the a ruffled off-the-shoulder gown. And just before she took to the stage, Samantha revealed she was expecting. "I'm nearly nine months pregnant, it's gonna be me and baby performing for royalty tonight," she said. "It's our first adventure!" Speaking ahead of her showstopping performance, Samantha continued: "It's my fourth time, actually. It never gets less nerve-wracking, it's always such an honour but I'm nervous! "We have a choir, we have dancers, it's gonna be a really big finish and I'm super proud of it." She added: "Music brings us all together, it still does, even tonight, it brings us back to those days - the power of music. "A song like We'll Meet Again, it's so poignant and beautiful and I'm really looking forward to it." Earlier this year, The Masked Singer crowned its latest winner with Pufferfish being unmasked as major theatre star Samantha. She beat off competition from Dressed Crab and Wolf who were also revealed to be major stars. The show's panel - Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama and guest judge Danny Jones - were left in awe when Samantha took off her mask to finally confirm her identity. Speaking after she was unmasked, the star said to the panel: "I've had the best time, I've had the best time. Underneath the mask I've been smiling the whole time." Samantha, 34, rose to fame in Andrew Lloyd Webber's BBC talent show I'd Do Anything. The programme searched for an actress to play Nancy in a revival of Oliver! She made her film debut in the 2012 adaptation of Les Miserables, starring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. More recently, she has become the biggest West End star since Elaine Page and is famed for playing Elsa in the theatre production of Frozen. Finishing a close runner-up to Samantha was Dressed Crab who turned out to be soul and jazz star Gregory Porter. 4 4
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Britain's best 1940s-themed days out
Among the many (many) quirks of British national identity is an enduring fondness for 1940s nostalgia – from street parties festooned with Union Flag bunting, to Vera Lynn records, the jitterbug, Blitz spirit, and stocking seams drawn on with eyebrow pencil. And with today marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe – when Germany surrendered unconditionally on May 8, 1945 – there's never been a better time to get in on the act. With various 1940s themed festivities taking place annually across the nation, you certainly won't struggle to find an excuse to don your period-accurate civilian demob suit, reproduction Allied military uniform or polka dot dress. I grew up with tales of the raucous high jinks and merriment of the era courtesy of my patriotic grandmother. Each September in my twenties, she would crochet a 1940s-style snood hair net for me, and I would descend on the quintessentially English seaside resort of Sheringham in Norfolk for the annual Holt & Sheringham 1940s Weekend (see details below). It was utterly delightful, and the kind of experience no self-respecting Briton should miss. To that end, we've curated a complete guide to the best 1940s-themed events to enjoy this summer. As Vera Lynn sang, there'll always be an England – and now is the time to celebrate it. Melton Mowbray 1940s Weekend, Leicestershire May 10-11 The Leicestershire market town of Melton Mowbray will hark back to 1940s Britain with activities, fashion, live music, living-history displays and a spectacular Sunday morning parade; 22,000 visitors attended last year. Have a hand-raised pork pie from Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe (Frances Paulet from nearby Wymondham is credited with setting its shape and style in the 1720s) and pop into The Anne of Cleeves pub for a pint. Wartime Britain 2025: VE Day 80 at the REME Museum, Wiltshire May 10-11 This month, the REME museum in Wiltshire – which tells the story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers – will have a VE Day-themed escape room trail, complete with codes to crack. The Wartime Britain 2025 weekend will explore the equipment, military life and home front culture of 1940s Britain, with re-enactments bringing the firearms and munitions of the Second World War to life. See vehicles of the era from the Museum's Reserve Vehicle Collection, learn how to swing dance, and sign up for an interactive For Evermore Tour from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Kent & East Sussex Railway 1940s Weekend, Kent May 17-18 A weekend of nostalgia, recreating the sights, sounds and fashions of the 1940s with performances from The D Day Darlings (The UK's premier wartime group, signed to Sony Music UK after reaching the finals in ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2018) at Tenterton town station. The heritage railway also stops at Northiam and Bodiam; expect outstanding 40s hairstyles and look out for rationing era re-enactment character Viv the Spiv, with black market goods in tow. Explore Royal Navy Commando and Desert Rats encampment displays filled with authentic kit, weapons and jeeps, and pause for a photo opportunity at the Land Army display before you make a beeline for the beer tent. The details: £8 per adult at Tenterden Hever's Home Front, Kent June 21-22 At the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, visitors to Hever 's Home Front event are transported back to the 1940s with authentic wartime recipes, military vehicle displays and stalls selling vintage wares. A weekend well-spent in 125 acres of glorious grounds in Edenbridge in Kent, 30 miles south-east of London. The details: £25 for non-members The 1940s Experience, Isle of Wight July 5-6 On Britain's holiday island, locomotion enthusiasts can combine a steam train ride through Isle of Wight countryside with 1940s entertainment, street scenes and costumes. Sergeant Marmite will put new recruits through their paces as the crowd absorbs the Dig for Victory atmosphere, with an authentic Spitfire on display. The details: £20 per adult including unlimited travel, plus all the activities and entertainment Where to stay: American Airstreams at nearby Retro Staycations at Hazelgrove Farm cost from £98 per night (minimum two-night stay) 1940s Weekend at the Black Country Living Museum, West Midlands July 12-13 The Black Country Living Museum in Dudley in the West Midlands was lately in the spotlight as the filming location of Charlie Strong's Scrap Metal Yard on the hit TV show Peaky Blinders. There's plenty of other reasons to visit, however: the attraction tells the story of Britain from the Industrial Revolution to post-war prosperity through living interpretation. As well as vintage attire and demonstrations, there will be performances from The Bluebird Belles and the Kalamazoo Dance Band during the 1940s Weekend. The details: £20 per adult Where to stay: The Village hotel in Dudley has rooms from £77 Goodwood Revival, West Sussex September 12-14 Billed as 'the world's best historic motor sport event', the glamorous Goodwood Revival at the Duke of Richmond's estate near Chichester celebrates the cars and fashion of the 1940s. Pre-order a Goodwood Revival souvenir programme, timetable and radio earpiece to complement the track-action, and book a helicopter flight (£85 per person) for views of the motor circuit and aerodrome. Head to the Revival Style stage with vintage icon Dita von Teese at the helm as judge of 'Best Dressed', and learn how to make-do-and-mend at Revive and Thrive restoration workshops from Goodwood's Heritage Skills Academy. High production values. The details: General admission £80 per adult (children go free); admission and grandstand packages from £155 per person Where to stay: The Goodwood Hotel has doubles from £180 Holt & Sheringham 1940s Weekend, North Norfolk September 19-21 This joyous celebration of history, music and community spirit invites the holidaymakers on which Sheringham's economy largely depends to come and enjoy the town. It draws 40,000 visitors each year, who come to take part in an immersive re-enactment of wartime Britain – and around 5,000 of them, all in period dress, enjoy a ride on North Norfolk Railway's scenic five-mile Poppy Line heritage steam train, linking Sheringham and the Georgian market town of Holt (there is also a park and ride service). Other attractions include classic car and military vehicle parades, replica Spitfires, pigeon racing, vintage fashion shopping stalls, makeovers, live jazz, swing and dancing in the streets and in the pubs, themed period displays, and photography and ration book competitions (collect stamps at various locations and win prizes). The details: Admission free Where to stay: The Kelling Estate holiday cottages cost from £400 (two nights minimum stay) Salute to the '40s at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent September 20-21 The Salute to the '40s festival will return to The Historic Dockyard for one final time this September in a last hurrah to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, honouring the resilience and camaraderie of the wartime generation with entertainment from The D-Day Darlings and the Glenn Miller Orchestra, an Air Raid experience and afternoon tea in the Officer's Tent. Visit the Dockyard's exhibition galleries, including 'Steam, Steel & Submarines' and The Ropery, and explore three historic warships, HMS Gannet, HMS Cavalier and HM Submarine Ocelot. The details: £29 per adult for one day Where to stay: Stay on board the Royal Navy's last operational Second World War Destroyer, HMS Cavalier, in a ship's bunk. £45 per person with a minimum of £900 per night (20 paying occupants) 1940's Welshpool Weekend 26-28 September 2025 The public is invited to join quaint scenes in 1940s military or civilian British attire for a glimpse into life in a small rural town during the 1940s. Welshpool is in Powys in Montgomeryshire, four miles from the Wales–England border; you can get there on the Birmingham to Aberystwyth Cambrian Coast Line. There will entertainers, trade stands, afternoon tea, a Blitz Ball with Ashby Little Big Band, music from The Swing Commanders, and a Salute the Forties Variety Show, plus child-friendly activities. The details: Admission free Where to stay: Bryn Tanat Hall, a 17th-century country house midway between Welshpool and Oswestry, offers accommodation including 14 luxury bedrooms, two lodges and an eco-cabin. From 26-28 September a two night stay in Bryn Tanat Hall (sleeping up to 28 guests) is £4,895, and a two-night stay in Pinelands Lodge sleeping up to 8 guests is £1,245.
