The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) organisation in Rye, established in the late 1940s, has been serving the community meals on wheels, lunches and tea clubs ever since, as well as inspiring volunteers throughout Britain for more than eighty-five years. Chris Emson is the current co-ordinator and gives a great deal of support to the RVS, encouraging others to volunteer. On Thursday, May 8 she and her volunteers organised a splendid afternoon tea at Tilling Green to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of VE Day.
The Cinque Port Lindy Hoppers, who performed at the tea, dance authentic Savoy-style lindy hop from the 1930s and 1940s, brought out of Harlem in New York to Europe by the American GIs as the ‘Jitterbug’. The audience just loved them.
Chris Emson explained, “We decided to use our monthly traditional tea club, which is held on the third Thursday of each month in Tilling Green Community Hall, to commemorate VE day’s eightieth anniversary. Over one hundred Rye citizens turned up, many in 1940s clothes. Some of our members can remember VE day as teenagers and there was lots of reminiscing and sharing of stories, making it a special day. Everyone enjoyed a 1940s style afternoon tea, finishing with a sing-song of Vera Lynn hits and finally the national anthem. Thank you to all the people who came and to all my fellow volunteers who entered into the spirit of the occasion.”
Image Credits: Pam Carroll , Mandy Martin .