Dame Vera Lynn expressed her gratitude to her fans for all of the kind gifts, cards and gestures that she received to celebrate her birthday this year. She reiterated that once again she is overwhelmed by everybody’s kindness and generosity. “I am so grateful to you all for helping me to mark this milestone,” she said.
She expressed that she feels very fortunate to have reached the age of 103 years old. She also thanked the public for their support of her Charitable Trust, especially since she cares very much about the work that it does, and the donations that she received around her birthday, which she described as the “best gift imaginable.”
Dame Vera Lynn noted that all over the world, people are facing very challenging times, especially with the Coronavirus pandemic. She added that it is likely that people will need to make difficult decisions in the upcoming months.
These times remind her of the World War II time period when England faced dark times, yet despite the struggles, they pulled together for the common good and they faced their common threats together as a nation and as a community. Dame Vera hopes that people rediscover that same indomitable spirit that helped them through World War II. She noted that the elderly, in particular, might be worried about what the future may hold.
“By keeping calm, looking after each other, and following the government’s latest guidance, we can overcome the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19) just as we have overcome so many other challenges before,” she explained.
Dame Vera Lynn encouraged people to keep smiling through. While people may be in quarantine, they can still be united in spirit. “As the War showed us so many years ago, we are all stronger than we think and however desperate things may seem today, remember that we can still be kind, we can still laugh, and we can still sing,” she concluded.
