Paper chains and rationing will be just two of the themes recalled at a Christmas party that celebrates the 1940s and the group organising it is appealing for help identifying a local event that took place around 70 years ago.

Members of the Forest of Dean Local History Society will join forces for the 1948-style Christmas party at the West Dean Centre, Bream on Saturday (December 8).

Diana Standing, committee member and co-presenter of the event, said: “This year the society has been celebrating its 70th anniversary and members have decided to bring back memories of the founding year with an appropriate Christmas get-together.

“We have been crafting homemade decorations and searching out seasonal recipes for ration-based fare to offer up for afternoon tea. “It has been wonderful talking to people who can recall those post-war Christmases when things were harder but, apparently, a lot more fun.”

Cheryl Mayo, another member of the committee, will set the scene with news of what was going on in the Forest in 1948 and there will be displays of old photographs, toys, decorations and gifts of the time.

One of the photographs features a Christmas event held at Lydney Town Hall in the 1940s and the society is appealing for help in identifying the occasion.

The event begins at 3pm and following tea the society will hold an auction of local history books, some of which have become scarce and are now hard to find.