Booking open for Liberation tea dance
BOOKINGS are being taken for this year’s Specsavers Liberation Tea Dance, which is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the end of the German Occupation.
Islanders who lived in Guernsey through the Occupation, were evacuated, deported or saw active service, can apply for tickets by filling out an application form.
Specsavers founder Dame Mary Perkins said the tea dance was always very popular.
‘We’re particularly excited to be marking the 75th anniversary this year,’ she said.
‘The dancing and the music are my favourite part of the day and guests will be able to dance and sing along to all the old favourites.’
She said the event acknowledged the suffering of islanders during the war years.
‘Demand for tickets is always very high and Beau Sejour can only accommodate a certain number of people for health and safety reasons,’ she said.
‘If you didn’t live through the Occupation, serve in the forces or were not evacuated from the island, remember that you may be denying someone else a place by applying.’
Islanders are encouraged to come to the event in 1940s-style clothes, military uniform or traditional Guernsey dress to add a sense of nostalgia to the day.
The tea dance will take place on Saturday 9 May at Beau Sejour between 1.30pm and 4pm.
The popular Ashby Big Band will make a return visit to the island, along with vintage trio The Bluebird Belles and some other exciting entertainers yet to be announced. A traditional Guernsey afternoon tea, sponsored by local stores, will be served and the event promises to be as lively as ever.
The form is available in the Guernsey Press (see page 4 today) and from Specsavers’ support office at La Villiaze.
It is also available by post or email from the Specsavers PR Events team, telephone 233779 or email events@specsavers.com. Tickets will be posted out nearer the event. No bookings will be taken over the phone.
The afternoon event will be followed by a Hangar Ball on the Saturday evening, which follows a second identical event the evening of Thursday 7, due to high demand. Attendees will be treated to the same line-up of entertainers and a hot meal. Tickets are being sold through TicketSource, to make the process as fair as possible.
They will go on sale at noon on Wednesday 22 January at £50 each.
