National Theatre film and Imperial War Museums bring Second World War stories to a new generation as part of VE Day 80 plans

13 Mar 2025 12:33 PM

A new National Theatre film, ‘The Next Morning’ will showcase stories of young people after the Second World War

• Imperial War Museums launch call for public to share letters written by family members during the war, culminating in a one-off VE performance
• National educational resources for school children delivered by partners including The Royal British Legion launched today securing a lasting legacy of veteran testimony
• VE Day 80 Immersive experience will give public chance to explore iconic images

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport yesterday, Wednesday 12 March, announced a programme of activity to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

In addition to four days of events and celebrations to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe, additional activities will include a new film, a national call out for the public to look for letters written during the war, an immersive AR experience and resources for every school in the country.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a new film will be released, telling the stories of young people as they looked ahead to a future free from conflict.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy yesterday said:

“We must use the 80th anniversary of VE Day to reaffirm our shared commitment to preserve the memory of the men and women across the UK who served and sacrificed so much for the world we live in today.

“By remembering and reflecting on their stories, we will pass on the baton to the next generation to ensure that they too can preserve the values that were fought for during the Second World War.”

The education and community programme is designed to give every young person in the country the opportunity to engage with veterans and hear first hand testimony of the impact of war.

Film and performance: 

• Following the huge success of National Theatre’s ‘War Horse’ production that brought the horrors of the First World War to a new generation, a new film, ‘The Next Morning’ will focus on the hopes, dreams and ambitions of young people after the Second World War and what this means for young people today. 
• Written by multi-award-winning stage and screen writer and creator of the Olivier Award-winning play Dear England, James Graham, the ten-minute film will take inspiration from archive materials to reflect the hopes that young people had for themselves and their country in 1945. Produced by the National Theatre with funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ‘The Next Morning’ will be released online for the VE Day anniversary on 8th May 2025.
• Schoolchildren across the UK will be encouraged to delve into their own family history to discover the letters sent by their ancestors and relatives to loved ones during the Second World War. As part of IWM’s Letters to Loved Ones campaign, these first-hand testimonies could include soldiers on the front line, men, women and children on the home front; or relatives who contributed to Britain’s war effort from the British Empire and Commonwealth countries.  
• At a special VE Day event at IWM North on 7 May, jointly produced by IWM and the National Theatre, some of the letters that the public submit will become part of a performance along with high profile public figures sharing letters from the IWM collection and excerpts from ‘The Next Morning’. Members of the public can potentially have their family story included by sharing letters on the Government’s VE/VJ Day website before Monday 14 April. 

Resources for schools:

• A national programme of activity for school children also kicks off today with resources available for every UK primary and secondary school in the country from a range of partners. The Royal British Legion is launching a range of downloadable resources that will be available to all schools across the United Kingdom to help teachers across the nation plan activities in classrooms to mark VE Day.
• This will include a special film produced by the RBL entitled ‘I’ll Remember: Discovering the stories of VE and VJ Day 80’ with veterans reflecting on their wartime experiences, and young people visiting communities to learn more about the impact and legacy of the Second World War in modern Britain. A digital time capsule of VE Day stories from Second World War veterans will be created, intended to be opened 80 years from now in 2105, so future generations can remember the service and sacrifice of those who fought for our freedoms. In addition, BAFTA award-winning musician Simon Haw MBE has composed a song, I’ll Remember, for pupils to sing during VE Day school assemblies.
• In addition, letters, sound testimony, film and photographs from IWM’s collection will be shared with schools in order to help children and young people understand the history and legacy of the Second World War – and why it’s still so relevant today. 
• The National Theatre will run a year-long schools engagement programme responding to the events of VE and VJ Day and this significant period of the UK’s history. The schools engagement programme for Key Stages 3 and 4 will be delivered as part of a nationwide tour of Dear England. Inspired by Gareth Southgate’s ‘Dear England’ open letter he wrote to England fans in 2021, this creative project will collect and share the hopes that young people have for themselves and for young people in 2105, 80 years’ from now.

National tours and engagement opportunities:

• An immersive augmented reality experience will give everyone in the country the opportunity to experience first-hand some of the most iconic images of VE Day. Launching in April, Atlantic Productions will bring colourised images to life through the voices of those who experienced it. 
• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) will run more than 150 mobile exhibitions travelling across the UK and a number of global commemorative sites to the Pacific, highlighting the stories of those who fought in the Second World War. CWGC is inviting members of the public to explore important history and connect by sharing their own personal stories. The Torch of Peace will be at the heart of the tour and act as an enduring symbol, honouring the contributions made by individuals, and as a baton to pass and share stories to future generations.
• In addition, funding from the National Lottery Community Fund Awards For All programme is available for organisations to bid for grants to host events, activities and projects to mark VE Day.
• DCMS is also launching Tip Top Towns, a programme to encourage communities across the country - whether towns, villages or cities - to get together with their communities ahead of Monday 5 May when the nation will come together for street parties to celebrate VE Day. Members of the public are encouraged to get in the VE Day spirit by making their own decorations, planting flowers, encouraging children to draw pictures for their windows or hosting arts and craft sessions.

Second World War veteran Olga Hopkins, 99, who served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and became a teacher after the war, yesterday said: 

“The Royal British Legion’s education programme will give teachers and children access to first-hand accounts and living memories of veterans from the Second World War generation. Hearing the stories of those who were there 80 years ago on VE Day and lived through the conflict will help children recognise the impact war had on everyone and the freedom they enjoy today.

“As a teacher for over 40 years, I am pleased to know children are being taught about the legacy they’ve inherited. I would encourage teachers and students to watch the RBL’s films for schools and contribute to the time capsule, which will protect these important stories for the next 80 years and beyond.”

James Bulgin, Head of Public History at Imperial War Museums yesterday said:

“VE Day meant an end to war with Nazi Germany and an end to the killing after almost six years of brutal conflict. It also meant that families could finally look forward to being reunited, after years of separation.

“For this 80th anniversary we are inviting schoolchildren to talk to their families, learn more about the Second World War and discover any letters sent by their relatives to loved ones. These can be uploaded to the official VE/VJ Day website so the nation can hear new, as yet untold stories of those who witnessed events first hand.”

Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive of the National Theatre, yesterday said: 

“As the National Theatre, we are honoured to be part of marking this important moment in the country’s history. Our film The Next Morning reflects on the aspirations that young people held for themselves and their country in 1945. The accompanying nationwide schools programme delivered through our tour of the smash-hit NT play Dear England, looks ahead, inviting young people today to share their hopes for the future. Through these inter-connected perspectives, the project will bring the voices of young people from 1945 and 2025 together, inspiring creativity in young people right across the country and spotlighting their dreams and aspirations.”

Playwright James Graham said: 

“How we remember this significant part of our national story for future generations is so important, which is why I feel genuinely honoured and excited to be involved and to see Gareth Southgate’s ‘Dear England’ letter as the inspiration for The Next Morning. We were so moved that the show drew in younger audiences to the theatre, and Gareth’s story - like the themes drawn out of VE Day - is a captivating one for the next generation. One of identity, hope, and national togetherness. Much like the journey of this country following the war, it celebrates our capacity for rebirth, and renewal.”

Notes to Editors

Members of the public are invited to share letters and the stories of their family in the Second World War via - https://ve-vjday80.gov.uk/letterstolovedones/

The public are invited to share their pictures of their preparations for Tip Top Towns on the DCMS VE Day website and across social media using the #VE80 hashtag. There will be a VE Day certificate available to all who participate.

Schools, teachers and community youth groups are invited to download the VE/VJ schools planning pack “Our Shared Story” to start planning activities for young people.