Avon Valley Railway's 1940's weekend has been cancelled this year due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The event, which was due to take place this weekend (September 24 and 25) is held annually at the railway station in Bitton and has seen vintage vehicles and re-enactor displays, music from the era and even a full-sized replica Spitfire over the years.
Those attending get to don their best 1940's get-ups, mingling with the station's very own 'Winston Churchill' and the like, for refreshments, entertainment and plenty of rides on the steam train throughout the day. However, this year event organisers have deemed the event a little to close to home - or rather international context - due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
In a statement, posted to its website, event organisers shared their reasoning behind their decision to cancel, saying: "The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has shocked the world and, whilst it is by no means the only significant conflict across the globe – past or present – it has brought war to the doorstep of Europe and refocused national attention on the fragility of peace. Images of separated families fleeing aerial attack are stark and strike an uneasy accord with the experience of millions of people 80 years ago, during the Second World War.
