WW2 80TH ANNIVERSARY

A FESTIVAL THAT HONOURS THOSE WHO

SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES ON OUR BEHALF

10am-5pm SUNDAY 17th AUGUST 2025

THIS EVENT IS NOW OVER

2025 establishes the Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre’s inaugural SALUTE! festival. This free, community event has been developed by the volunteers at PH&MC to mark important events in military history. This first year celebrates the victory of the Allies in WW2.

At 10am we open with the delightful Gurkha Festival. There will be performances, food, films and vintage vehicles.

Our popular Park Cinema will be on The Green screening the engaging THE DAM BUSTERS. captivating animations TIGER’S PEN and LEN & HIS SPITFIRE plus shorts about the D-Day Chinese, Caribbeans and Gurkhas. We believe some locals are amongst the film extras, so come along and point them out.

What promises to be Thurrock’s biggest singalong will bring the festival to a rousing finale starting at 4.30pm. Led by local singing celebrities Geri and Pam, Music Monday Friends, Thurrock Voices and Thurrock u3a Choir will be joining them in entertaining us with beloved WW2 songs.

Family activities will fill the day. Dive into field gun challenges, construct an Anderson shelter, chat to community stallholders and ogle at the Royal British Legion Riders bikes, South Eastern Vintage and Classical Vehicles Club plus a Gurkha Ambulance, You can also visit the amazing Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre, a Grade 1 listed building and former royal gunpowder magazine.

PROGRAMME

10am-12.30pm | GUKHA FESTIVAL activities | Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre Car Park

10am-12.30pm | FILM SHORTS | The Green, Purfleet-on-Thames

Cat & Fish; Tiger’s Pen; Cat-Tastrophe; Len & His Spitfire; D-Day Chinese; Beyond Windrush; Gurkha Memorial Day; Forever, Endlessly?

12.30-2.30pm | THE DAM BUSTERS film | The Green, Purfleet-on-Thames

2.30-5pm | WW2 GREAT SINGALONG “ The Green, Purfleet-on-Thames

2.30-3pm Helen and Richard (Music Monday Friends)
3-3,20pm Thurrock Voices
3.20-3.40pm Reg (Formby classics) and Terry (Music Monday Friends)
3:40-4pm Pam and Geri
4-4.20pm Geri with Thurrock u3a Choir
4.30-4.40pm Raffle Draw

4.40-5pm EVERYONE TO JOIN IN FOR A ROUSING SINGALONG FINALE

FIND THE LYRICS BY CLICKING HERE

SALUTE! is a Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre production in partnership with TGNC and AAAHA

With support of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery in order to bring this project to more audiences across the UK