The next chapter of Our Shared Story

VE Mail is a unique opportunity for children and young people to learn first-hand about a shared story which connects the past, present and future, to hear it with their own ears, and witness it with their own eyes.

In 1945, people across the UK and beyond shared their stories of the war, leading up to the first VE Day, by writing to friends, family and loved ones. These letters act as a lasting legacy of their experiences.

Today, 80 years on, children and young people in schools and youth organisations are invited to hear directly from these same people who lived and fought during the Second World War, and to share their stories, learn about their victory and inspire our future.

How to get involved

1

Get your veteran letter

If you are a school or youth organisation, sign up to request a letter from a Veteran to be sent to your children and young people.

Request your letter

2

Read & discuss together

You will receive a letter from a living Second World War veteran, someone like Tom, a Bombardier with two stripes, a Royal artillery badge, a Burma star badge and a VET badge, or Mervyn, who served in the Ordnance Corps and was then stationed near Bergen-Belsen in 1945.

3

Write back to your veteran

Encourage your school children and young people to write back to the Veteran to say thank you, reflecting on what VE Day means to them now.

Find further information in the Teacher Guidance document.

This is simply a beautiful idea. This might be one of our last opportunities for our youngest generation to hear first hand from surviving veterans. I know from my work with the Gurkhas how many people played a role in our collective victory and how diverse those contributions were. This is a chance to ensure we don’t forget those stories.
Joanna Lumley
This is a wonderful idea! The extraordinary men and women who fought during the Second World War couldn’t know us — we hadn’t been born yet — but it was for us and our freedom that they risked their lives and endured the suffering and hardship of war. Let them know how highly you value them and how we are all thinking of them with pride and gratitude as this great anniversary comes round.
Stephen Fry

VE Mail launch highlights

VE Mail launched on 22 March 2025. At the media event, Second World War veteran Tom Jones (Bombardier, 103 years old) visited a primary school in Manchester to share his personal story of the first VE Day 80 years ago. He also taught the students Morse code, which he learnt during the war, and read and discussed his VE Mail letter with them. 

VE Mail FAQ's

What is VE Mail?

VE Mail is a chance for young people to exchange letters with a living Second World War veteran. Schools sign up to receive a letter from a veteran, then, upon receiving the letter, encourage the children to write back.

VE Mail is open to any primary or secondary school or youth organisation in the UK.

Schools and youth organisations will register here to request a letter from a living Second World War veteran. You will be asked to input how you want the letter addressed. This should refer to the children and young people of the school (i.e. Sunny Street Primary Pupils), youth organisation (i.e. G47 Scouts Troop) or the class (Year 8 B) that you would like the letter to be written to.

Letters will be sent out within two weeks of your request, to the address you listed in the form, and addressed to the children and young people of the school/youth organisation. When you receive your letter you will also receive a VE Mail Learning Pack – this will give you clear guidance, as well as lesson ideas and activities you can do with the children and young people.
You will share the letter with the children and young people and encourage them to write back thank you letters for the Veteran. You could do this as part of a lesson, in tutor time or an assembly, as homework or as an activity for an after school club or youth organisation. On your letter from the Veteran will be details of where to send your thank you letters back to and any information you need to enclose with your schools/youth organisations letters. But don’t worry, enclosed with the letters is step by step guidance to help you.
VE Mail is a unique opportunity for children and young people to connect with World War II Veterans by hearing their first-hand stories and reflections on VE Day. Through letter exchanges, this initiative brings history to life, fostering personal connections while preserving a lasting legacy 80 years after the war. It offers Veterans the recognition they deserve and provides a meaningful way for students to engage with the lessons of WWII. By taking part, schools and youth organisations contribute to a once-in-a-lifetime project that ensures future generations continue to learn from and honour those who served.

There are a wide range of opportunities for schools to engage with VE and VJ Day 80 as part of the Our Shared Story Education Programme. To find out more download the education toolkit here

You can also take part in your local community’s street/council/estate party on Monday 5th May 2025 or plan a VE Day school assembly on Thursday 8th May 2025.

Visit this page for inspiration and ideas.

The /together Coalition will hold your data from the sign up form (e.g. name, email address, school/organisation name) and share it with Mail and Print (the mailing house) solely for the purpose of contacting you/your school or organisation about VE80 and VE Mail. Your data will not be shared wider than this. After the campaign ends at the end of May 2025, your data will be deleted from our database.

Request your veteran letter
Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The VE Day community celebrations are led by The /together Coalition as part of the UK Government’s national programme to commemorate the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Other key partners of the programme include Royal British Legion, Ministry of Defence and Imperial War Museums.

Our partners for VE Mail

Royal Mail
Compare the Market