Let the party start as Westcountry celebrates Queen's 60-year reign
The Westcountry is preparing to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with hundreds of street parties and a trail of flaming beacons which will light up the night sky from Land's End to London.
An unpaid army of organisers is busy hanging red, white and blue bunting and applying the finishing touches to plans for more than 250 street parties in Devon and Cornwall as communities prepare to mark the Queen's 60-year reign.
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Buglers from the Royal Marine Band will be acting as herald trumpeters
Central to the festivities is a Royal themed-take on an idea hatched in the region by the Eden Project three years ago – the Big Lunch – in a bid to bring neighbours together. Organisers estimate as many as six million people will take part in the Royal Big Lunch on Sunday before gathering around TV sets to watch the Queen lead a flotilla of more than 1,000 boats in a pageant along the Thames.
Musical accompaniment will be provided by Plymouth's Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, who will follow the Royal barge in a separate vessel. Six buglers from the HMS Raleigh-based band will act as herald trumpeters, sounding a fanfare as the Royal party arrives, and performing each time the Queen passes under one of the many bridges.
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On Monday night, following a televised concert outside Buckingham Palace, more than 130 beacons will be lit across the region, blazing a trail to the capital, where Her Majesty will light the final fire.
Peter Stewart, campaigns director for the Eden Project and director of the Big Jubilee Lunch, said he hoped people would "bury their British reserve" and join in the fun.
"There has never been a better excuse to find a neighbour and sit down on Sunday to raise a glass or two – it's never too late," he added.
Penzance, Truro and Newquay are just some of the towns hosting major events on Sunday in Cornwall, where some 96 streets have been closed for community gatherings. But small communities are getting in on the act, such as the village of Tregony, on the Roseland peninsula, which will bring young and old together for a unique day of celebration. A commemorative seat will be unveiled to mark 50 years of the seniors' club by 94-year-old founding member Margaret Barnicoat.
Devon, which has seen more requests made to light beacons than any other county and has at least 160 official street parties planned, will also become a giant celebration for the day.
Tavistock will host a weekend of events, including a Party in the Meadows on Sunday, followed by the lighting of its Jubilee Beacon at the Pimple, a folly built on high ground overlooking Dartmoor's Whitchurch Down at 10.15pm on Sunday.
In Topsham, near Exeter, a table stretching the entire length of the main street will be set for an expected 2,500 diners.
And the chart-topping Military Wives Choir will raise the rafters at a service of celebration to in Plymouth. The Westcountry-based outfit, formed from partners of Westcountry servicemen, will perform on Sunday in the Minster Church of St Andrew at 10.30am.
Comments
by crowsanwra
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 2:20PM
“Women also like the last word and are always right! Watch here for proof of that!”
by 2ladybugs
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 2:05PM
“.......some people don't have to drink more than one small glass of champagne to enjoy the celebrations.”
by 2ladybugs
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 2:02PM
“@Chy Howlek
....and people who believe everything single thing written in these comments is even more sad.”
by Chy_Howlek
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 1:54PM
“Alcohol is such a sad addiction particularly over such a weak reason to celebrate and even more so in a woman.”
by 2ladybugs
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 10:49AM
“......and if I have written anything untoward in my last comment it is because I am watching the Diamond Thanksgiving celebrations coming from London which I would ordinarily be attending.”
by 2ladybugs
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 10:37AM
“@homerjay
Ha!Ha!Ha! Yes I realised that.....as I said too much champagne.
Not I think the original Charles Henry although I am sure Charlespk(Charles Henry) might equally be worthy of his own standard. I doubt Charles Philip would take any offence.
A Freudian slip....no I don't think so......might have been because I was reading a comment from Charlespk just before I typed my comment. ;))))))”
by homerjay
Tuesday, June 05 2012, 12:00AM
“2ladybugs
Charles Henry is Charlespk, a Freudian slip? :-)”
by Doitdreckley
Monday, June 04 2012, 9:18PM
“Why doesn't 2ladybiugs pay £1.30 a year for her royalty so I don't have to pay anything.”
by Chelstonlass
Monday, June 04 2012, 8:41PM
“What a great concert you anti monarchists are missing! You obviously won't be watching as its celebrating our Queen's fantastic 60 years reign. I'm sure you're not that two faced are you?”
by poldice
Monday, June 04 2012, 4:24PM
“If the momentous Royal recognition of Cornwall as a fully paid up member of the family of British nations is not news to you it is obvious that you are in the wrong place... suggest you purchase a sat nav and navigate eastwards into more familiar territory.
I reckon the likes of bigger & co must be reaching for the smelling salts today it must be quite a shock for them to find that we really are Cornish not English.”