Tag: street parties

UK Government announces Coronation weekend celebrations

Millions of people across the country and the Commonwealth are invited to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort over a weekend of special events.

  • The Nation and the Commonwealth will have the opportunity to join a weekend of celebrations to mark the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort
  • Coronation Big Lunches, thousands of street parties, and The Big Help Out will bring communities together over special Bank Holiday Coronation weekend

The Coronation will take place on the morning of Saturday May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Tens of thousands of people are expected to visit the capital city to experience this unique and historic occasion, with millions more watching from home, across the UK and around the globe.

Coronation Big Lunches, thousands of street parties, and a day dedicated to good causes will bring communities together throughout the UK over the special Coronation Bank Holiday weekend.

On Sunday May 7 a spectacular Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle will showcase the country’s diverse cultural heritage in music, theatre and dance.

One of the highlights of the concert will be “Lighting up the Nation”, in which iconic locations across the UK will be lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.

Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort is a huge milestone in the history of the UK and Commonwealth.

“The weekend of events will bring people together to celebrate our Monarchy and the mixture of tradition and modernity, culture and community that makes our country great.

“Everyone is invited to join in, on any day, whether that is by hosting a special street party, watching the Coronation ceremony or spectacular concert on TV, or stepping forward during The Big Help Out to help causes that matter to them.”

Tens of thousands of Coronation Big Lunches and street parties will be held in the UK and Commonwealth on Sunday and across the weekend. Big Lunches take place across the UK annually and last year they raised more than £22 million for local charities.

The activities on Sunday will culminate in a fantastic evening of song and dance at the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, staged and broadcast by the BBC in front of an audience of several thousand members of the public, selected for free tickets via a public ballot.

The weekend of celebrations will end with the Big Help Out on Monday May 8 – a special Bank Holiday proclaimed by the Prime Minister in honour of the Coronation.

Created by Britain’s best loved charities and organised by The Together Coalition, it will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation.

In tribute to His Majesty The King’s lifetime of public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to come out and support the causes that matter to them.

Hundreds of activities are planned for the day by local community groups, organisations and charities including The Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, National Trust and RNLI. Further details and ways to take part will be announced shortly.

Peter Stewart LVO, Chief Purpose Officer at the Eden Project (who are behind The Coronation Big Lunch) said: “We’re so excited about The Coronation Big Lunch on May 7, it is a fantastic opportunity to be part of the celebrations and something for us all to look forward to!

“The Big Lunch has always been about community – last year almost two thirds of people who took part said The Big Lunch had encouraged more people to get involved in voluntary work. Sharing friendship, food and fun together gives people more than just a good time – people feel less lonely, make friends and go on to get more involved with their community, all as a result of sharing a sarnie and a chat in their neighbourhood.

“The Coronation Big Lunch helps you bring the celebration right into your own street or back yard so that anyone and everyone, across the UK and beyond, can be part of this amazing moment in our history. Get yourself an organiser pack, knock next door and get planning – this is going to be an event to remember!”

Jon Knight, Chief Executive of the Together Coalition, said: “The Big Help Out is going to be a festival of volunteering.

“A day when people up and down the country will roll up their sleeves and do their bit. In the run up to the day we’ll also be launching new ways of getting involved in volunteering in your community. The aim is to create a legacy of better-connected communities long beyond the Coronation itself.

“If you’re a voluntary group who wants to be part of it, please reach out now so we can make this the start of the biggest volunteering effort in our country’s history.”

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Do you need insurance for your street party?

You may already be in planning mode for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, but have you considered insuring your street party? 

Between the 2nd and 5th of June, it’s estimated that there will be 10 million Britons hosting street parties organised across the UK, according to Country Living. 

It’s no surprise to see how huge an occasion this is! Not only is this a great celebration of the Queen’s 70-year reign, but it’s also a welcome opportunity to reconnect with our community after COVID. We could all do with some good news after all. 

There are so many things to think about when it comes to party-planning, and no more so than when it involves an entire street or community.

A-Plan Insurance have revealed their top tips to throw a Jubilee Street Party:

Planning a Jubilee Street Party? 

The official Big Jubilee Lunch is planned for Sunday 5th June. Here are some helpful pointers to help you decide on whether to plan a street party: 

1. What type of Jubilee Party do you want to hold? 

  • If you are planning a Street Party, you will need to contact your local council. You can do this here or simply give your Council a call if it isn’t listed on their website. 
  • If you don’t need to close the road, you can run a ‘Street Meet’ – if you live in a cul de sac, councils are generally happy for this to go ahead without permission. Otherwise, use driveways, parking areas and front gardens – none of these will require council permission. Ensure you don’t obstruct pavements. 
  • Another option is a ‘Neighbour’s Picnic’, which can be held in the local park, the only caveat is that you cannot have music or a barbecue, but it may work well for sandwiches and cake! 

2. Get your community involved from the start 

Get your neighbours involved – and make sure everyone meets to discuss the Big Day beforehand. 

  • Ask everyone to bring a dish and drink, and don’t forget to include vegetarian/vegan type options. 
  • Consider whether you will buy plastic cutlery, or reduce waste and encourage neighbours to bring their own cutlery. 
  • Consider classic British recipes, such as Scotch Eggs, sausage rolls, Bakewell Tart and Victoria Sponge cake. 
  • If you are using private land, you could consider a barbecue. 
  • If you need crockery, consider buying some mismatched plates from a charity shop, they appear much more authentic, cause less waste and the charity will benefit from your purchase. You could even clean them up and return them for resale. 
  • To keep decoration costs down, get the local children involved in creating bunting, paper waving flags on (paper) straws, and paper chains. 
  • Consider setting up a Spotify playlist and sharing the link with your neighbour’s who can add their music to it as well. Add a few of the Queen’s favourites, such as ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ by Vera Lynn, and ‘Leaning on a Lamp-post’ by George Formby. 
  • And remind everyone to bring their favourite mug for a cup of tea! 

3. Do I need Jubilee Street Party Insurance? 

As a Platinum Jubilee Street Party is a one-off event, you won’t need a risk assessment or licence for the consumption of alcohol. That doesn’t mean that there is no risk. 

We would encourage anyone organizing a Jubilee party to have street party insurance cover in place. The main risks are: 

  • Burns from barbecues 
  • Food and drink 
  • Trips and falls 
  • Damage to vehicles 
  • Breakages 

Some councils will require proof of insurance, while others won’t. 

A spokesperson for A-Plan Insurance stated: “The Queen’s Jubilee is to celebrate her 70 years of service. Her Majesty The Queen is extremely well respected by many and is well-loved for her oath to duty, love of the people and even her sense of humour.

 “Millions of people want to celebrate this milestone with her and we want to ensure that people are aware of the guidelines before throwing their party.

“To reiterate, as a Platinum Jubilee Street Party is a one-off event, you won’t need a risk assessment or licence for the consumption of alcohol. That doesn’t mean that there is no risk. 

“We would encourage anyone organizing a Jubilee party to have street party insurance cover in place. We look forward to this huge, worldwide celebration.”

The excitement builds: Colour A Corgi among plans for Jubilee celebrations

  • More than 70,000 ‘Big Lunches’ and events planned across the country
  • Activities for children released including Colour a Corgi

Big screens will be set up outdoors in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff so thousands of people can come together to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month.

Screens broadcasting the events will be placed in The Mall in London, Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens and in Cardiff’s Bute Park.

From street parties and ‘Big Jubilee Lunches’ happening across the UK, to London’s Trooping the Colour, Service of Thanksgiving, concert and pageant, the nation and commonwealth will come together over four days to mark The Queen’s 70-year reign.

The screens are organised by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) which today is launching an activity pack for children to help them learn about The Queen’s reign, including articles about how the country has changed in the last seven decades, opportunities to colour in a corgi or crown and bunting to decorate for street parties.

More than 70,000 Big Jubilee Lunches are planned in the four UK nations over the weekend, with an expected ten million people set to sit down with their neighbours on Sunday 5 June, to celebrate Her Majesty’s momentous jubilee.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “In less than a month we will come together as a nation and Commonwealth to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 70-year reign. No other British monarch has reached this milestone and we will celebrate it with tradition, pomp and circumstance.

“I hope that people and communities across the country will come together to pay tribute to Her Majesty – whether that be to watch on big screens or toasting Her Majesty at a Big Jubilee Lunch with their neighbours or coming together in their local village hall.

In London, screens broadcasting the BBC’s live feed will be placed down The Mall and in St James’s Park for members of the public to watch the events taking place across the Bank Holiday weekend.

In Edinburgh, screens will be placed in Princes Street Gardens with thousands able to host picnics and watch the celebrations with a backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and entertainment provided by the Royal Marines and local performers.

The Welsh Capital is also inviting families to bring their Jubilee Picnic and enjoy an afternoon in Bute Park. The beautiful Grade I listed park in the heart of Cardiff’s city centre will provide the perfect venue for an afternoon of Jubilee celebrations as families are invited to enjoy the Jubilee Pageant on a large screen along with entertainment from the bandstand.

In Northern Ireland, a design competition will see primary school children create a ‘snapshot of Northern Ireland’, with the winning entry to be manufactured into a rug by leading company Ulster Carpets and sent to Her Majesty the Queen.

In addition, The Queen and other members of the Royal Family will receive Northern Ireland Platinum Jubilee Hampers showcasing over 50 top quality local food and drink producers, and representing the appreciation of the people of Northern Ireland for Her Majesty’s dedicated service.

Events taking place in London will be broadcast on TV networks BBC, Sky and ITV. In a further move to mark the occasion, the BBC is offering local communities a special one-off TV Licence dispensation so they can screen it on a big screen they organise themselves.

The plans will allow those celebrating with events arranged in town halls, community centres and streets to show live programmes throughout the weekend without needing to purchase a licence.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “Watching the celebrations on the big screens the UK Government is setting up around the country is a great way for people to really get involved and soak up the atmosphere of this fabulous occasion.

“We’re looking forward to a great family-focused event in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh where people can bring a picnic, enjoy the weekend’s festivities and raise a glass to Her Majesty to mark her 70-year reign.”

BBC Director-General Tim Davie says: “I am delighted we are helping to bring people together to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and I’m looking forward to seeing our coverage on big screens up and down the UK, as we mark this wonderful occasion.“

Can hardly wait … !