With the nation busy preparing for events up and down the country to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, you’ll no doubt be hearing the famous wartime phrase ‘keep calm and carry on’.
But it seems that should now be more like, ‘keep calm and put the kettle on’, because people’s passion for tea, just like it was to get them through the war, is a strong as ever.
In fact, new research[1] just published by the UK Tea and Infusions Association (UKTIA) – tea.co.uk – suggests that it is the humble cup of tea that helps six in 10 people to get them through the day.
“To this day, Brits are staying loyal to the morale-boosting wartime adage – ‘Keep Calm And Carry On’ – with nearly two thirds (60%) polled in our real-world study of over 1,000 adults1 saying they drink tea to get them to calm down,” said Dr Sharon Hall, Chief Executive of the UK Tea and Infusions Association (UKTIA) – the association dedicated to promoting tea and herbal infusions.
Interestingly, twice as many younger adults (25-34 years category; 83%) agreed with this statement compared with the older generation (65+ years category; 38%).
Every 8th May we remember the day in 1945, Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), when Germany surrendered to the Allies.
With the 80th anniversary of VE day approaching and many people planning to celebrate in different ways including parties across the UK, it shouldn’t be too tricky to get people involved, according to the latest UKTIA survey, which shows that more than nine in 10 people drink at least one cup of tea a day. Over a third (35%) drink the recommended three to four cups, while four in 10 (44%) drink one or two a day and a thirsty one in five (20%) drink five to six cups a day.
The Royal British Legion, the UK’s largest Armed Forces charity, has announced plans to host a VE Day Tea Party at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and for tea parties to be held in communities across the country.
Knowing that Brits love a brew, Dr Sharon Hall says, “What better way to celebrate a pivotal day in British history and support our Armed Forces community than coming together for a Great British brew – the nation’s favourite hot drink.”
Dr Sharon Hall adds: “VE Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of those who lost their lives during World War II and other conflicts. Making time for tea could be the ideal way to support this according to our research study which reveals that nearly two thirds (64%) of Brits like to brew a tea to give them some thinking time.
“As well as a cuppa giving us thinking time, according to our latest research data, Brits also live up to their reputation when it comes to topics of conversation, with the most popular answer (44%) given by those surveyed being ‘the weather’,” says Dr Sharon Hall, who added: “Sitting down with a cuppa is a very British habit and an opportunity for different generations to come together and share special stories about the war and VE Day.”
Other popular topics of conversation in the survey were:
Future Plans (32%)
Work (34%)
Holidays (37%)
A gossip (35%)
“Loyalty is also important to Brits – especially when it comes to their brew,” says Dr Sharon Hall, adding, “When asked in the survey which hot drink they would opt for if they had to pick only one and give up all the rest including coffee, the top answer (66%) was a regular cup of tea, whatever their age.”
Dr Sharon Hall notes further: “VE Day celebrations and tea parties will also be a chance for Brits to come together and escape from the stresses of daily life. After all, among the Brits surveyed, nearly six in 10 (59%) agreed that having a cuppa gives people comfort.”
The Royal British Legion plans to bring Second World War veterans together for a VE Day Tea Party so they are at the heart of national commemorations, and so local communities can come together over a cuppa on VE Day to celebrate the 80th anniversary and support the Armed Forces.
A spokesperson from the Royal British Legion said: “What better way to do this than with a VE Day Tea Party. Our events will bring volunteers and members together over tea and cake to celebrate.”
To discover more about tea, see: https://www.tea.co.uk/
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