On Sunday, May 4, The Prince Llewelyn Inn, Cilmery, was the village focal point of a commemorative event celebrating 80 years since VE Day.

Refreshments and a generous buffet was provided by the inn, along with entertainment for the children and rousing 1940s music.

Members of Cilmery Community Council took the opportunity to unveil ‘The Cilmery Bench.’ This has been crafted by local blacksmith artist, Kevin Preece.

Thanks were extended to Jewsons for supplying the materials.

The bench is engraved with ‘Llywelyn ap Grufffyd’ and an outline of the village monument to celebrate Llywelyn’s connection to Cilmery.

To complete the VE Day commemoration, local resident, Tania Szabo recalled the heroic contribution that her late mother, Violette Szabo, gave during the Second World War. Violette was recruited by the Special Operations Executive, was parachuted into France, captured, tortured and executed by the Germans in 1944 aged 23 and was later awarded the George Cross for her bravery.

She was recently commemorated in a special stamp collection unveiled by the Royal Mail to mark VE Day 80.