On May 8th the country celebrates 80 years since the cessation of war in Europe, VE Day, an important moment to remember those who were lost and the incredible war time efforts of everyone in the country.
QEF’s training college for disabled people played a significant role in the war effort, training disabled people as Welders, Toolmakers and Machine Draughtsmen. It was officially recognised as part of the Disabled Section of the Munitions Training Scheme of the Ministry of Labour and National Service in 1940. In this first year, 143 trainees were admitted to the college and 84 were placed in employment during the war.
Life at the Training College was certainly not dull – Walter Jones, then a welding instructor at the college, remembers that a ‘salvo of bombs’ was dropped in the field to the south of the college, and a few weeks later an incendiary bomb was dropped on the West Wing of the college and another landed within 12 yards of the first.
In October 1941, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth paid an informal visit to the training college, which she had officially opened in 1935, and is reported to have made a detailed inspection and spoken to every trainee and member of staff. After her visit, Her Majesty expressed the wish that the training college should in future be known as Queen Elizabeth’s Training College for the Disabled.
On the 80th anniversary of VE day, we celebrate the work of all the staff and trainees at the college and their contributions to the war effort. QEF’s charity shops and Care and Rehabilitation Service are fully embracing the celebrations, with fantastic window displays across Surrey and lots of themed activities and a special afternoon tea for clients at our neuro rehabilitation service.
On June 27th 2025, QEF will be celebrating 90 years since the official opening of the training college for disabled people. Since 1935 QEF has been at the forefront of innovative and person-centred services that enable disabled people to achieve their potential and live with greater independence. Find out more about QEF’s 90th anniversary.
(Content credit to ‘Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for the Disabled – A History 1934-1984’)
(Trainee photos copyright Alpha Press.)
