Buckley: School’s art project marks VE Day and Auschwitz anniversary

A community art display led by Elfed High School is now on show at Buckley Library, bringing together schools and care home residents to mark the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Elfed Peace Dove Project features hundreds of hand-decorated paper doves created by pupils from Elfed High, Westwood Primary, Southdown Primary and Mountain Lane Primary, alongside contributions from residents of Marleyfield care home.

Each dove carries a message of peace or personal reflection, forming a collective artwork that aims to honour the memory of those affected by war and genocide while promoting the values of unity and remembrance.

Inspired by David Harper’s Peace Doves exhibition at Chester Cathedral, the project has been described as a way to encourage intergenerational reflection on the importance of peace and the lessons of history.

Kate Smallwood, Art Teacher at Elfed High School, said: “This project has been a great opportunity to come together as a community to create this art installation and reflect on such an important part of our history.”

The display is currently open to the public at Buckley Library, offering visitors the chance to read the messages written by children and older residents alike.

It joins a wider programme of local VE Day commemorations across Flintshire, including musical performances and military vehicle displays in nearby Mold.

The Chester Cathedral Peace Doves exhibition, which partly inspired the Buckley project, runs until 17 June.