The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacons and Associated Activities | Thursday 2nd June, 2022

Droitwich Spa Town Council have announced plans to light a Beacon for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on the evening of Thursday, June 2, 2022. The Beacon is one of thousands being lit in the UK and the Commonwealth, and forms part of the official programme announced by Buckingham Palace for the Jubilee Weekend.

The Beacon will be lit at St Augustines Church at Dodderhill overlooking the Town, and it will be one of over 2,022 lit by charities, communities and faith groups all over the UK.

In addition, beacons will be lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals and the Principal Beacon lighting will take place in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening. This will take the form of a lighting installation with The Queen’s Green Canopy ’Tree of Trees’ sculpture and projections onto the front of Buckingham Palace. This innovative new way of taking part in the beacon lighting will reflect the Royal Family’s long history championing environmental causes.

Programme

  • At 2pm hundreds of town criers and 50 Pearly Kings and Queens will announce a specially-written Proclamation heralding the lighting of the beacons later that day. This will be delivered by Mr Edgar Harwood, Town Crier for Droitwich Spa and takes place outside St Richards House and later throughout the Town.
  • At 9.15pm The 2516 Droitwich Squadron ATC band will play at the main entrance to Vines Park (next to the bridge). This year marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Droitwich Squadron.
  • At 9.35pm local time across the UK and Commonwealth, traditional and Northumbrian pipers and pipe bands will play Diu Regnare, a unique tune specially written for the occasion by Piper Major, Stuart Liddell, the world’s leading piper. This will take place in the St Augustines Church grounds at Dodderhill. The Piper has been a provider by the Royal British Legion, Droitwich Spa branch.
  • At 9.40pm buglers linked to local beacon lightings across the UK and the capital cities of the Commonwealth will officially announce the lighting of the beacons with a specially written bugle call, entitled Majesty. This will take place in the St Augustines Church grounds at Dodderhill.  The bugler has been provided by the Salvation Army in Droitwich Spa
  • Then at 9.45pm exactly local time, and to coincide with the lighting of the beacons, community choirs across all nations will sing Song for the Commonwealth, which has been written and composed by Lucy Keily, from Australia and Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu from Nigeria. This will be followed by God Save the Queen. The performance is being provided by the Droitwich Spa Community Choir and takes place at the main entrance to Vines Park (next to the bridge). This year marks the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Droitwich Spa Community Choir.
  • The beacon will be lit at 9.45pm by Councillor Alex Sinton – Leader of Droitwich Spa Town Council & Chairman of Wychavon District Council accompanied by Councillor George Duffy – Mayor of Droitwich Spa. Other Representatives including from the Church - Reverend Nigel Byard & Verger Richard Rose, the Town Crier and a delegation from the Royal British Legion – Droitwich Spa Branch will also be in attendance where this takes place in the St Augustines Church grounds at Dodderhill.
  • At 10pm there will be bells rung at St Augustines Church, Dodderhill to herald the occasion of the Queens Platinum Jubilee weekend.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to view and listen to the different aspects from the vantage point of Vines Park directly beneath St Augustines Church.

For more information please contact Droitwich Spa Town Council at www.droitwichspa.gov.uk and/or telephone 01905 774258.