Emotions ran high as the Lowestoft Evacuees Association met for the first time in two years.
The event was held at the Parcels Office Public Exhibition Space at Lowestoft Railway Station with the evacuees being hosted by the Lowestoft Central Project.
It was a memorable meeting, a day to remember full of surprises for the 25 ex Lowestoft evacuees all aged 86 to 94 meeting to commemorate once more the day of evacuation on June 2, 1940.
Doreen Tolloh, an ex London evacuee, now living in Lowestoft, also attended and read out her evacuation poem for the occasion held last Saturday.
The evacuees were treated to the experience of being the first group to see their evacuation story permanently recorded on two new display panels on the portals of the station wall opposite.
The evacuees and accompanying guests were greeted by Lowestoft Town Councillor Mayor Alan Green in a speech of welcome.
They were addressed by the host Martin Halliday and his guests Neil Williams, chair of FOGS The Friends of Glossop Station, and Alan Neville, Regional Manager of Greater Anglia.
Also supporting councillor Alan Green by their presence were Sonia Barker and Andrew Pearce of Lowestoft Town Council which is a joint sponsor of the new evacuee heritage display panels.
The Lowestoft Central Project is set to continue offering up the central parcels office space for future summer reunions at 11 am on the first Saturday of June each year, the usual summer date.
After discussion amongst the Lowestoft Evacuees it was decided the time had come to disband the Association and committee which was founded in 2006.
But association secretary Chris Books agreed to continue advertising reminders of get togethers in his own capacity on the agreed dates as he did before the association and committee was founded in 2006.
Treasurer Mary Draper was thanked for her services to the association, in particular hosting and providing hospitality to committee members meeting in her home over the years since 2006.
While the tickets for an extraordinary free raffle were drawn, the mayor presented Mary with a floral bouquet on behalf of the evacuees.
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