The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend
Published: 08 June 2022
Back in August 2021, the Churchill and Langford Village Fund met to discuss The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend and agreed that if the parish was going to celebrate then we should do so in style. Accordingly, a dedicated band of volunteers planned four days of events centred around a huge bunting and flag bedecked marquee at Churchill Recreation Ground. Including lighting a beacon, music nights, a community tea party and The Big Jubilee Lunch.
As if this was not enough, a scarecrow trail was organised to run for the entire week which encouraged young and old to walk around the villages to see the creations ranging from Her Majesty parachuting into the 2012 Olympics to Sir Edmund Hilary summiting Mount Everest.
The iconic village clock tower built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was open to the public as were the three local church buildings.
We now know that the entire country flocked to events up and down the land, but the volunteers awaited the BBQ and beacon lighting planned for Thursday 2nd June with a fair degree of trepidation – would anyone come?
Of course, they did!
Many hundreds came to watch Trevor Smallwood OBE, a Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset, light the beautiful wrought iron beacon made by artist blacksmith, Sam Bailey. As the flames flickered into a stunning June night sky, the villagers of Churchill and Langford sang the national anthem for the first of many times over the weekend and added their good wishes to those of a grateful nation.
Events followed in quick succession over the following days. A tea party was held on the Friday, ostensibly for older members of the community who were conveyed to the marquee by the two community minibuses, but it was soon apparent that young and old were enjoying the copious quantities of tea, scones and cakes provided by the combined efforts of the local church congregations.
A ‘scratch’ brass band kept all entertained with a medley of well-known and patriotic tunes.
That evening, the Old Fox Band struck up barn dance tunes as neighbours jigged, reeled and hornpiped together with varying degrees of success, but always accompanied by smiles and laughter.
Saturday brought a music night with live band Replica Sams, DJ B Amanda and host Zena ensuring over 300 guests could rock the night away. A huge hog roast provided much-needed sustenance.
A change of pace on the last day of celebrations saw a service conducted by the combined parish churches followed by The Big Jubilee Lunch with music provided by Congresbury Brass. Theo, the big yellow bird, made an appearance to keep the younger folks entertained.
As the flags and bunting were stored away for a future coronation the parishioners of Churchill and Langford could look back with immense pride on a Platinum Celebration that reignited the community spirit of our joint villages and provided some wonderful memories that will live in our hearts and minds for many years to come.
By Ian Beadle